Gary A. Byers<\/b><\/p>\n
Everyone cannot join us in Israel for a dig, but anyone can get a sense of what happens in an excavation. You can experience the various aspects of archaeological discovery at home by recreating an excavation in your own backyard.<\/p>\n
Here is a list of the materials you will need:<\/p>\n
1. Permission to dig<\/p>\n
2. Stakes<\/p>\n
3. Ball of string<\/p>\n
4. Objects to find<\/p>\n
5. Tape measure or yardstick<\/p>\n
6. Compass<\/p>\n
7. Pencils<\/p>\n
8. Graph paper<\/p>\n
9. Camera<\/p>\n
10. Film<\/p>\n
11. Tools to dig<\/p>\n
First, with four stakes, set up string lines for 5 meter (5m x 5m) squares. Allow 1 meter of space between your squares. Use a compass to orient each square on a north-south axis, as real excavations do. This helps provide proper controls and aids in recording what is found. Of course, you don\u2019t have to use meters, you can use yards or even feet to measure your square. Just be consistent and use the same measuring system all the way through the dig. It may be best for all \u201cdiggers\u201d to participate in the square set-up. Designate each square with a number and a letter (A1, A2, B1, B2).<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t actually have to dig into the ground to make this project work. However that would take your \u201cdig\u201d to another level! Your second step is to \u201csalt\u201d the dig by burying artifacts in the ground so they can be discovered later. You may want to ask an adult to help, so you can enjoy discovering the finds. If you choose not to dig, just set things on the ground or grass. Use objects from the time period and\/or part of the world you want to study. You could include these items:<\/p>\n
Stone (blades, points, axe-heads, pounders)<\/p>\n
Metal (blades, jewelry, coins)<\/p>\n
Pottery (broken or whole)<\/p>\n
Bones<\/p>\n
Building materials (stones, bricks, plaster, wood, nails)<\/p>\n
Clothing and other personal items<\/p>\n
These artifacts might be placed in such a way as to show a specific space\u2014like a kitchen, a bathroom, bedroom or workroom.<\/p>\n
The third step is to divide diggers into groups called square teams. Each team needs a supervisor, assistant supervisor, draftsman, artist and diggers.<\/p>\n
Now diggers can examine their square from one side to the other, finding each item one at a time. Each discovery is charted on a top-plan drawing of the square. To precisely locate the find-spot within the square, diggers can measure from the string-line sides of the square. Using the same measuring system to scale (for example, 1 inch on the plan = 1 foot on the ground), the draftsman charts each location on the square\u2019s top-plan. Plans can be drawn on plain or graph paper. Remember to include the following:<\/p>\n
Square designation<\/p>\n
North directional marker<\/p>\n
Scale<\/p>\n
Excavation dates<\/p>\n
Team members\u2019 names<\/p>\n
Supervisor\u2019s notes<\/p>\n
Other important data you want to add<\/p>\n
Have the square artist draw each item you find to a chosen scale. Your dig photographer can take shots of the finds and the diggers at work. After \u201cdigging\u201d for a day or two, the diggers can present a report on their finds. They should explain what the artifacts were, how they may have been used, the relationship between different items discovered, and what they tell us about what once took place in the location where the square was dug. Also try to tie the situation of one square to another.<\/p>\n
An extra challenge for your team would be to make spiritual applications about finds, your working experience or the knowledge you have gained.<\/p>\n
If you and your friends do a dig, send ABR copies of your drawings, plans and photographs. Include a copy of a good square\u2019s \u201cdig report.\u201d We might choose a backyard dig as an article for one of our future publications.<\/p>\n
BSpade<\/i> 14:2 (Spring 2001) p. 64<\/p>\n
Bible And Spade 14:3 (Summer 2001)<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gary A. Byers Everyone cannot join us in Israel for a dig, but anyone can get a sense of what happens in an excavation. You can experience the various aspects of archaeological discovery at home by recreating an excavation in your own backyard. Here is a list of the materials you will need: 1. Permission to … Continue reading “FOR
\nYOUNG ARCHAEOLOGISTS:
\nBIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15320"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15320\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}