Zack Batist, fourth year Directed Interdisciplinary Studies student spent his summer digging up Israel’s 3000 year old city of Tel Dor – one of the world’s most unique excavation sites.
Canaanites, Sea Peoples, Israelites, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks and Romans are all documented as former inhabitants of Israel’s 3000 year old city of Tel Dor. Even Napoleon once used Tel Dor as an outpost as he conquered the Middle East.
This past summer, Directed Interdisciplinary Studies student Zack Batist’s name was added to the remarkable list of visitors to the former port city; a location which is now considered one of the world’s most unique excavation sites.
Situated directly on the Mediterranean Sea on the Carmel Coast, archaeologists are drawn to Tel Dor due to the fact that few sites in the world have had such a varied and diverse occupational history.
Tel Dor’s popularity as a settling ground is explained in its location. Resting directly within the crosshairs of major trade routes, Tel Dor is where many populations and cultures crossed paths for the very first time. Tel Dor’s seaside position was ideal for a port city, and for Batist, it was also an ideal setting to perform his first dig.
Throughout an intensive six weeks, Batist worked with a field school run by the University of Washington in hopes of uncovering lost relics dating back to the Bronze Age. Unlike many first time diggers, Batist did not come out empty handed.
“I found a few small objects, including a bronze brooch and a bronze weight”
In fact, everything Batist and his team found contributed to the intricate research of the lead archaeologists at Tel Dor, an impressive accomplishment for his maiden excavation.
Not only did Batist achieve a wealth of hands on experience during his time in Israel, he also left Tel Dor with a more clear understanding of his personal goals and aspirations.
“This was my first dig, but I hope to go again next year as well. This experience solidified my decision to go into Archeology in graduate school, which I was unsure of prior to the summer.”
Clearly, this first time dig was an overwhelming success.
To find out more about Archaeological Excavation and Field Schools in Israel and other locations, visit The Archaeological Institute of America atwww.archeaological.org