First Person: Changes at the Top

Even by the standards of Israeli archaeology, this is an unsettled time. But unlike years past, matters today are unsettled both in the field, where the work of archaeology happens, and off the field, in the offices where policy decisions are made. In the field, 2001 is shaping up to be the most disrupted dig season since the Gulf War a decade ago. The current round of violence in Israel and the West Bank has caused several excavation teams, particularly those that rely on volunteers from America, to cancel their seasons. Off the field, there has been turnover at the top levels of key organizations that deal with archaeology.