‘Healing through restoration’: How Israel’s hidden dig site builds community out of archaeology
“Our job is to tell the story of these people, because we are here and we can learn a lot from them," Dagan told The Jerusalem Post.
The Tell Qana Archaeological Project is more than just archaeology and excavations, according to excavation directors Dr. Amit Dagan and Dr. Ayelet Dayan, speaking to The Jerusalem Post. Dagan, who oversees the excavations for Bar-Ilan University, and Dayan, representing the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), aim to create a unique project that combines advanced archaeological and environmental research with education and community engagement.
Nestled near the Hod Hasharon Ecological Park, the site's first notable feature is the bustling atmosphere. Amidst the rhythmic thudding of tools and light-hearted conversations in Hebrew and English, excavators don gloves and push through the hot, hard soil, ready to uncover history. Dr. Dagan emphasized the passion required to work at the site, stating that either one loves it or doesn't.
Volunteers, including children and Egyptologists like Isabel Andrade, are drawn to the site for its historical significance. Andrade, who volunteers from Spain, highlighted that digging in Tell Qana's mud offers a unique experience compared to Egypt's sandy sites. The diggers form a tight-knit community, described as a "family," and look forward to returning each year.
Choose Tell Qana as the first project as an excavation director was a deliberate choice. Unlike other sites along the Yarkon River, Tell Qana remained untouched until now. Dr. Dagan discovered the site on his own, intrigued by the ancient historical connection to Egypt. Over three excavation seasons, the team has unearthed artifacts spanning from the Early Bronze Age to the Persian period, revealing over 200 years of Philistine presence.
Egyptian and Assyrian artifacts have also been discovered, including an ancient Egyptian scarab and a Scottish pocket knife from World War I.
Beyond the excavation, the project includes a Citizen Science initiative and the Lab for Mending Fragments. The Citizen Science project invites the public, including those on the autism spectrum, to contribute to archaeological research. The Lab for Mending Fragments collaborates with Dr. Ayelet Oreg from Bar-Ilan University to mend fragments of history discovered at the site. The Tell Qana Archaeological Project offers not only a journey through antiquity but also a testament to the power of community and restoration.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
