Masada

This past month I had the amazing opportunity to participate in the Tel Aviv University Masada dig, which was so exciting and a fantastic experience! I dug for three weeks and it was really great to get to meet new people and go up to the mountain to dig each day, plus getting to have tours and lectures by people and professors I admire and learned so much from.

I began the dig in Area A, which is in the western part of the palace. We were digging through some residential areas. I spent some time in another area of the palace as well, and finally spent the last week in Area C, which was in a cave (seems like a theme for me, but caves are fun so no complaints here)!

Masada Sunrise

View to the West near the palace

Looking up at Masada from the cable car area below

With dig friends!

Tower view on top of Masada

Rainy day tour around the base of Masada

Rainy day - behind me you can see the waterfall which is rare, a result of the rain

Reenacting the Roman camps around Masada's base during the rainy day tour

Myself & Masada

From the stop along the way to the dig each week

Looking down from Masada

Sunrise - each morning pottery washing

More sunrise from the pottery washing area at the base of Masada where we stayed

In the Area C cave

I also spent my birthday digging, which was fantastic!

Ending the day right!

My second semester just began, and I'm still working the publications office as well as doing some work for another dig which I will be participating in this summer. I have classes about Jerusalem, the Persian-Hellenistic periods, animal bones, botanical archaeology, continued Hittite, the Transjordan, and a couple other history classes. It's busy, but worthwhile and I'm enjoying it - especially after the excavation, which was a needed break!