Dig It! The Blog

Panoramas of NIP

By Dr. Mark Schuler on August 2, 2010 8:26 PM | No Comments

From photographs taken during 2010, we have created a number of panoramas that give a good sense of recent work on the Northeast Insula Project.

Other views from Hippos

Name change

By Dr. Mark Schuler on August 2, 2010 8:14 PM | No Comments

For the last nine seasons, the work of the Concordia Team has been called the Northeast Church Project of the Hippos Excavations. It bore that name because work began in the Northeast Church. However, as work has expanded into the areas neighboring the church, and as those areas may not be related directly to the church, the project has adopted a new name: the Northeast Insula Project. The word insula (Latin: "island") is, in architecture, block of grouped but separate buildings or a single structure. As the project now deals with multiple streets and clusters of buildings, the name change is appropriate.

Last look . . .

By Dr. Mark Schuler on July 30, 2010 4:20 PM | No Comments

As the dig drew to a close, we took one last look at the site:

Chamber of the Pools

By Dr. Mark Schuler on July 30, 2010 12:47 PM | No Comments

On the last day of the excavation, we finally got a complete look at what we are calling the Chamber of the Pools. One pool is still hidden (except for its southern face) in the north baulk. But the fountain pool could now be seen in its full beauty.

In front of the pool is a mosaic floor that attests to the beauty of the chamber and beckons us to excavate further to the north in a future season.

Fountain and pool create buzz

By Dr. Mark Schuler on July 27, 2010 3:16 PM | No Comments

The small pool fed by a fountain and a "question-mark" channel have created quite a discussion on the dig at Hippos. Fountains are rarely discovered and this one seems to serve a decorative pool. In our last days, we hope to reveal part of the decorative floor on which the pool sits,

Pool Party and finds?

By Dr. Mark Schuler on July 26, 2010 6:25 PM | No Comments

We have previously written about what looked like a fountain in the northern part of our excavation area. With today's work, we can now say that the fountain is part of the water features of a small pool (1.67x1.67m). It is one of now two plastered pools in this part of the dig and may suggest that we have come upon a private bathing facility. We have not reached the bottom of the pool, yet. But some of the team have their water toys at the ready.

Sometimes on a dig we find items of unexpected beauty. Other times, we find unexpected items. Here, Darryl unearths a buried commercial food container (thanks, IDF).

Treasures from 2010 ... so far

By Dr. Mark Schuler on July 24, 2010 5:16 PM | 1 Comment

As the team prepares for the final week of the excavation, we have been cleaning and documenting some of our small finds. These are the finds that excite us:

Byzantine M Coin

Bronze Pitcher

Spiral bottle

Bone Jewelry

Cross and Palm decorative tile

Fibula

Maenad

Janus Flask

And what will we discover this week?

Visitors

By Dr. Mark Schuler on July 23, 2010 11:37 AM | No Comments

During the excavation season, we frequently have visitors to our site from around the world. This Friday, when several of us hiked up for a photography and drawing session, we looking up to see some unusual visitors -- three powered paragliders. Had my camera been more accessible, I would have gotten an even better shot as they suddenly appeared over the edge of the cliff.

Water fixture?

By Dr. Mark Schuler on July 23, 2010 11:22 AM | No Comments

Earlier this season, we published a photo of a plastered basin in the north colonnaded building. In the northeast corner of this room is another water feature, plastered and half-round fed by a water pipe. Its function is a mystery, in part because we have not yet reached the bottom of the feature.

Christine discovered the feature and below she is seen inspecting and clearing the water pipe. Ideas anyone?

Amazing volunteers . . .

By Dr. Mark Schuler on July 21, 2010 1:24 PM | No Comments

I am exceptionally proud of and thankful for the volunteers that are part of the Northeast Church Project at Hippos of the Decapolis. Without them, the project could not have accomplished what it has over the last nine years. Some are truly amazing . . . or has the director been in the sun too long?