Adieu.

It is finally time for me to throw in the towel over this metal box.  Censor or popcorn maker, I really do not know.  Sometimes in archaeology, research and hard work simply do not yield the expected results.  It's up to Dr. Schuler and his CSP gurus now.    

However, this season has certainly provided valuable insight for this budding archaeologist.  Although at the beginning I felt a bit like a duck robbed of water, the assignments thrust towards me provided a similar thrill as I raced around the classics library, pulling books and flipping through pages.  I missed the sheer physical exhaustion of the dig, but the mental tasks stretched my research skills and provided new challenges.  And I now have the chance to write a final report on the lion pendant (thus filling out my CV).  So thank you, team, and thank you, Dr. Schuler, for providing me with this opportunity.  It was a joy.

On another note, the actual archaeological experience is worth every minute, dollar and bead of sweat.  I highly recommend that those interested in pursuing such an adventure contact Dr. Schuler at mark.schuler@csp.edu.  If you plan ahead, there are certain scholarships available through the Biblical Archaeology Society (http://www.findadig.com/) which can ease the financial obligation.  Feel free to contact me as well (Kristina.Neumann@cuw.edu).

And now, it is back to Ph.D. work - languages upon languages, facts upon facts.  I'm pretty sure that is what Indiana Jones did for the majority of his year (have you ever noticed that the majority of the movies take place during the summer?), so it will have to do for me as well.

Salve et Vale. 

Kristina Neumann