Guide to Sites

Replace the deerstalker cap with a wide-brim hat; substitute a tee-shirt and shorts for the cloak; fill the air with dust and scorching sunlight instead of fog and damp darkness; and exchange the magnifying glass for a pick, a brush and a sieve.

The result is a picture of the Sherlock Holmes of archaeology: the typical volunteer, who plays a vital role in solving the mysteries of the past.

Although archaeological volunteers perform the routine work of a dig, they live in an exciting atmosphere of expectation. Every day holds the chance of a startling revelation. They might find an important inscription while washing potsherds or uncover the hidden shape of a building while wielding a 026pick. And they always uncover some ancient artifacts.

Unlike the storied detective, volunteers can be almost any age—college students to vigorous retirees are all welcome—and they need no special education or skill, only a willingness to work at a variety of jobs, tolerance for heat and flexibility when conditions don’t match those at home. Volunteers also get to pick their own “cases,” that is, to choose from a wide variety of sites, ranging from Chalcolithic to Crusader times, with remains from Israelites, Philistines, Nabateans and others.

Historical/Biblical summaries of the sites begin below, a section that all readers can enjoy as a mini-guide to current work in Biblical archaeology.