Excavation Opportunities 1981

From Dan in the Galilee to Biblical Lachish, from Tel Michal on the Mediterranean Sea to Bab edh-Dhra on the eastern bank of the Dead Sea, volunteers will join archaeologists on numerous field sites in 1981. Always hoping that the next spadeful of earth will expose a stamped handle, an inscribed ostracon, a glimmer of gold jewelry, an intact vessel—hundreds of people will tolerate heat, sore muscles, shower lines and early morning wake-up calls to participate in digging up the past.

Fascination with the past should not, however, obscure the necessities of the present. The digs are as various as the artifacts: Accommodations, dates, costs, academic credit, climate, terrain, proximity to cities are all variables that should be evaluated by prospective volunteers. As you read through the descriptions of archaeological sites, try to match your taste and needs with what is offered. Write for further details, perhaps requesting the name of a volunteer who was on-site last year and can provide firsthand information to you.

Be prepared to work very hard in unaccustomed positions in unaccustomed heat. Be prepared to live closely together with a varied group of people in an intense situation. Be prepared to discover, regardless of your age, that the mysterious romance of archaeology has made you think about returning to another dig another summer.