Tel Beth Shemesh

Sample Course Syllabus

NOTE: THIS PROGRAM WILL RESUME SUMMER 2008

Professor Steven P. Weitzman
Office: Sycamore Hall 226
E-mail:
Phone: (812) 855-1174
Office hours

I. Course Description:

This course offers students a unique opportunity both to learn about the past and to expand our knowledge of the past by participating in the archaeological excavations at Tel Bet Shemesh in Israel.

The ancient mound of Tel Bet Shemesh is located about forty-five minute drive from Jerusalem. The name Bet Shemesh means "House of the Sun" and perhaps refers to a temple to the sun god once within the city. In the Iron age (the period from the time of the Israelite settlement of the land until the end of the Israelite monarchy, ca. 1200-586 B.C.E.) the site lay at the heart of a region inhabited by Israelites, Canaanites, Philistines. The current excavation is designed to explore, among other things, the cultural history of the site: who lived there; how did they live; what became of them.

The course involves 3 weeks of participation in an archaeological expedition. No prior experience in archaeology is required. The class is designed to teach students about both archaeology and ancient Israel through a combination of hands-on training, evening lectures, discussions, weekend excursions, and readings/written work (see below for description of the latter). In addition, the program will afford students several opportunities to experience modern Israel. For additional details about the program, see the handbook.

Before reading any further. . .

An excavation is an intense physical experience. Students need not be in great physical shape, but they should be in good health and prepared to get up very early in the morning, to kneel for long periods of time, to swing picks, to push wheelbarrels, and to work in the hot sun.

Withdrawal from the dig at the last moment will be difficult to arrange and last minute (or even last month) refunds cannot be guaranteed since we have to pay for lodging in advance. Students need to think carefully about whether they are up to the challenge of this program before enrolling in the class.

II. Orientation:

You will be given a handbook that will answer many of your questions about travel, accommodations, etc. If you still have questions, feel free to contact the Office of Overseas Study, Carolyn Lipson Walker, program coordinator for Jewish Studies (855-0453); or myself at any the addresses furnished above.

III. Course Requirements:

Your final grade will be based on participation in the dig and related activities (70 percent) and a written exercise (30 percent).

Related activities include evening lectures and pottery cleaning/analysis. On several evenings the dig directors or guest archaeologists will be lecturing on various topics related to Bet Shemesh. You may find it difficult to stay awake by this point, but try your best, for the information will help you to better understand why what you are doing is so important. Pottery cleaning/analysis takes place in the afternoon three days a week. Attendance at both is required unless you seek my permission to be absent.

Readings:

The following texts are required reading. It is highly recommended that you purchase them, but all are available in the library as well.

• Brian Fagan, Archaeology: a Brief Introduction, fourth edition (HarperCollins, 1991).
• Hershel Shanks (ed.), Ancient Israel, (Prentice-Hall, 1988).
• John Bartlett, Archaeology and Biblical Interpretation, (Routledge, 1997).

Written Assignments:

Archaeological data is useless unless it is carefully recorded and interpreted (see Fagan, pp. 109 and 118). The purpose of the following five reading and writing assignments is to expose you to these crucial aspects of the archaeological endeavor, giving you a chance both to record the data you find at the site and interpret it.

To answer the following five questions, you must draw on the readings, lectures and your work in the field (most of question 1 and all of question 2 can be answered based on readings alone, and it is highly recommended that you answer them before you leave for Israel-this will save you much needed time later). Please write all answers clearly, completely, and concisely, being sure to illustrate your claims with specific examples. Remember that the directors and staff will be happy to discuss any questions you might have.

1) How does Bartlett answer the question: "What has archaeology to do with the Bible?" How have scholars' answer to this question changed over time? In light of what you have learned in this program, how would you yourself answer the question?

2) Based on your readings, describe the different models used to explain the emergence of ancient Israel. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each model? What evidence is there that Israel emerged from the indigenous population of Canaan (Be sure to draw on Mayes' article on Israelite religion for this question)?

3) First, for a quick overview of ancient Israelite history, read Shanks Ancient Israel. What historical events, peoples, and/or institutions in "biblical history" are reflected in the archaeological record of Tel Beth Shemesh? What, if anything, does the dig tell us about ancient Israel/Canaan that the Bible does not?

4) Briefly describe how archaeologists date a find (Compare Fagan, 52-72). Describe how finds are dated at Tel Bet Shemesh, using your own fieldwork if possible to furnish examples?

5) Once you get to the dig you will notice that your area supervisors carefully record in field reports everything found in their areas. Toward the end of the dig, you should record the findings you have made in your square in your own field report (if you have moved from one square to the other during the course of the dig, you should describe the one you know best).

Your description should include the following: the square's number, a brief description of its various layers in sequence (stratigraphy), and the artifacts, ecofacts (see Fagan, 148-63), and features found in each layer. The definition of all terms can be found in Fagan.

Having recorded the data, you should then answer the following. What are the dates of each layer, if this can be inferred? Has your area been affected by any "site formation processes" that may have altered its archaeological record (see Fagan, 88-91)? What kinds of activities seem have taken place in each layer (Fagan, 74-83)? Can we surmise anything about the cultural/economic, and social role of this area? Does it tell us anything about cultural/economic and social life in ancient Bet Shemesh in general? Be sure to explain clearly why you reached the conclusions you do.

Finally, when you submit your written assignment, you should also submit a course evaluation form (to be distributed). You are free to fill this form out in whatever way you like, but you are required to submit it.