Our next excavations will be December 3,4,5,10,11,12,17,18 & 19 of 2009. The primary purpose of this dig will be to remove the dirt and uncover artifacts in the Large Columbarium. As you recall, we purchased 70 feet of a portable conveyor system (Miniveyor) last spring and used it for the first time during our May/June excavation. The process was so successful that we purchased another 60 feet this fall. This additional footage will allow us to reach to the far corners of the Columbarium. Since the Columbarium is so large we will probably not complete the excavation in December but we should make substantial progress. We will keep you up to date on our progress, on this website, after the excavation begins.
Our long awaited full color 8 1/2″ x 11″ publication “A Guide to Beit Loya (Lehi): AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE IN THE JUDEAN LOWLAND” is at the printers and will be ready next week. However, since it is being printed in Israel it will not be available in the USA until late December. Those donors that we have promised the publication to will receive them by the end of December.
The publication will be available for purchase at the site or given to supporters of the Beit Lehi Foundation donating $100 or more.
Below is a copy of the front and back covers.
Our recently completed spring excavation, May 28 through June 20, 2009, was very successful. Excavation was done in Pablo’s area called The Village, Avner’s area above the Ritual Bath and Olive Press and Mical’s area above the Large Columbarium. Significant archaeology discoveries were made. In additions, with the help of our new Bobcat and conveyor belt system a substantial amount of dirt and rocks were removed from the Large Columbarium. See pictures from the excavation on our Photos page. We had a professional photographer on site for a few days–some of his pictures are included in the Photos page others will be included in our Site Guide which will be published by the end of the summer. Our next formal excavation will be in October and November 2009. If you are interested in participating please contact us.
We have tentatively set the dates for the spring excavation. We will begin on Thursday May 7, 2009 and will be at the site until about the end of June. We are happy to announce that students from the University of Oklahoma under the direction of Garold Mills will be joining us again this year. We are in discussions with other groups and we will bring you up to date as soon as that information is firm.
If you or your organization would like to participate in an excavation please send us an email through our website contact page. We welcome all who are interested in participating. It is a great experience.
Pictures taken by Oren during the last few days of the excavation. See Oren’s “Report – 2008 Excavation Season.”
The subterranean stable
Avner's area during a much needed rain storm
Michal's area - Massive ashlar stone wall above the Columbarium
The Columbarium entrance
Tent village - Life of an archeologist
Archeological remains from the Hellenistic to the Mamluke periods
Pablo's area - The Arch Room
Pablo's area - The Arch Room
The end of a long day
Avner's area
The big equipment
Pablo's area - Hellenistic fortification
The donation page is now active. You can make a donation easily by using your credit card. Your help in meeting our excavation costs is needed.
Since our last report excavation on the site continued on Tuesday and then we were off the site Wednesday and Thursday, but not idle, and then excavation continued on Friday and Saturday.
On Tuesday the front end loader was able to remove most of the dirt from the street around Pablo’s area. The street needs to be cleaned but it now gives you a better understanding of what the site will look like. Part of the foundation of the public building was excavated to bedrock and the remainder should be completed shortly.
Work continues on Avner’s site at the structure above the Ritual Bath and Olive Press.
Avner holding a Hellenistic unguent aria found in Area A. This vessel type was used for perfume and precious oils.
Work also continued on the large Columbarium.
Anna surveying the large Columbarium
Excavation of the site will continue on the weekends of November 1st and November 8th. Since Alan and I have left Israel we will update the progress on the site after Oren returns home and we receive his report.
The Foundation purchased a Bobcat skid loader on Thursday. It will be delivered this week. Everyone is exited with the addition and believes it will enable significant progress to be made in excavating the site. Time permitting it will enable Yakov with a couple of assistants to work weekends on the site throughout the year.
It has been exciting on the site the last few days. Work continues on Pablo’s site where coins, an intact jug and an ancient “capital” were found. A capital is an ornate carving on the top of columns generally found on large public structures.
Michal and her staff began excavating a tunnel opening in the Ritual Bath. After about 20 feet it opened up to a larger room. They have excavated up about 12 feet without reaching the ceiling. The excavation is significant because the tunnel was completely filed with dirt which means that the age of the tunnel and room can be accurately determined by pottery finds.
Avner and his workers continue on the structure above the Ritual Bath. Coins and other significant finds have been uncovered.
Oren estimates that the coins found range from 300 BC to 1500 AD.
We had a front loader on site today which cleared the area around Pablo’s site to enable the site to be expanded.
Oren and his staff began excavating today after a delay of a few days because of military permits. Excavating will continue through October 26th except for Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday morning. In addition, Oren will be excavating on the weekends of November 1st and November 8th.
Excavations were continued today on the house site supervised by Pablo, the structure above the Ritual Bath and Olive Press supervised by Avner and the structure above the Columbarium supervised by Michal. A “bread stamp” was found early in the day at the Ritual Bath site (see photo). Oren estimates it is from the Muslim period. 
