S9 (Fall Session): Week 3, Day 1 — Today we Returned...

Today we returned to begin excavating for two weeks. In the autumn the sun rises later, so we work 7:00-2:00. When we left in August, the area surrounding el Araj was still blackened from the wildfire. Two months later, new life is springing up everywhere. I am encouraged about this two weeks. We have 10 volunteers who are joined by 20 Israelis, including the team of new Russian immigrants who worked with us in the summer. We are focused on three areas. The Russian immigrants will continue in area F (which was formerly Ehud's front yard). They have already encountered several Byzantine walls and floors. The plan is to dig beneath these to the Roman level. Another group of Israelis is working with Ofer Stein to expand the previous season's work in Area D (about 100 yards west of the basilica). Already today they found a hoard of 5 coins. Area D seems to alway produce riches. A new area about 75 yards north of the basilica is Area G. Already on the surface we have walls with worked stones and during the day several coins were found. We will see what we find in these new squares. In the afternoon, we visited Magdala with its first century synagogue and beautful church on the lakeshore.