Dean Leaves For Cyprus

Here, Dean is demonstrating his technique in excavating an ox scapula - sorry, no notches.

Dean receives his completion certificate from project director, Aren Maeir.

Dean ended his 3rd week at Tell es-Safi/Gath on a high note. He clearly has what it takes to be an excavation director!

Our week 3 team

Gilad and Linda joined our team in week 3 after part of the Melbourne contingent left for home.

Team Melbourne At Tell es-Safi/Gath

Our Melbourne team just finished excavating this building at Tell es-Safi/Gath.
We had a great time and our students did a fantastic job. Dean, Brent and I continue on for a bit longer and hope to have more fun photos from Tell es-Safi/Gath!

A look at the 10th century at Safi

Elisabetta from the Weizmann Institute of Science demonstrates her talents at excavating our 10th c. "Aegean-sytle" hearth.

We found the hearth while trying to uncover the westward extension of the wall you see in the foreground. Instead we found a plaster floor in close association with the hearth, which in turn is under a large 9th c. wall.

Here is the sealing in the style of Siamoun, a 10th c. pharaoh, which was found on top of the hearth along with a pile of grape seeds - which will help with dating.

Linda Models Her Big Find

On her first day back at Safi, staff member Linda Meiberg found this electrum pendant while cleaning a wall and demonstrates an alternative way of wearing it.

Completion Certificates

Our team celebrates at the Thursday night bar b q after collecting their well-earned completion certificates.

Our Area is Spotless!

Team Melbourne did themselves proud in preparing this early Iron Age Philistine Area for Friday's trench tour!

Brent Tells Us About Aegean Scripts

One of my PhD students, Brent Davis, wasn't too tired from record keeping to deliver a lecture to the Safi team on Aegean scripts and languages. My turn comes next week!

Mycenaean 3C in Area A2 at Safi

This unusual Mycenaean 3C rim for a deep bowl turned up in our area toward the end of week 2.

Astarte Appears in Area A

Today were were cleaning pottery from the rubbish pit that Shannah and Lauren have been excavating in the northeast corner of the "Melbourne megaron" and found this really cool mould for making plaque's or figurines of Astarte. It is broken, but you can see her hips, pelvic region, belly button and one of her upraised arms.

More of the Philistine Buffet

Sharon excavated 4 more mandibles from another rubbish deposit across the road and Brent helped.

The Philistine Buffet!

The rubbish pile in the northeast corner of the "Melbourne megaron" in Area A2 of Tell Safi seems to have the full Philistine buffet including a sheep scapula, boar mandible, fish vertebra, bovine astragali (not pictured), and a nice little basalt mortar for grinding up some spices.

Meanwhile Elsewhere on the Tell...

Project Director, Prof. Aren Maeir gave us a tour of the exciting things happening in Area D. If you want to know more, then read his blog!

Mycenaeans at Safi

Dean and Vaia were digging a fill with earlier material set into it. Shannah and Lauren were digging a similar fill on the other side of a wall. Lo and Behold, they both found joining parts of the same Late Helladic IIIB imported pyxis - a type of box.

Alex Gives Us A Lesson

We couldn't have done such a great job without help from Alex Zukerman - he puts the A in Area A.

It Begins With Cleaning

We began cleaning our excavation area in Area A. In cleaning the area, we found this bi-chrome Philistine bird sherd.