BAR Jr.: Young Archaeologist Strikes Pay Dirt

The first time I took my children on a dig, they were 13 and 11. Usually, you don’t find many children on a dig because there are no facilities for them and they might be out-of-place. Nevertheless, I thought they might be old enough to enjoy the experience. Besides, the excavation camp was next to Kibbutz Lahav, where Jonathan, our eldest child, was born.

Jonathan was a little apprehensive as the day approached; his sister Orly, however, was looking forward to it. Jonathan was afraid that he might get bored with the whole thing after two weeks, but Orly anticipated having a good time, especially with older people (“older” meaning college age). Jonathan took with him a backpack-full of books; Orly armed herself with sunscreen and suntan lotions.

We arrived at the site two weeks before the season was to start. Our camp had to be pitched, facilities had to be built and preparations put in place. Both children helped.