It's been a couple days since I last blogged but I'm pleased to announce that I have an ice cold coke, my I pod on shuffle, all my pictures uploaded, and a stable internet connection so I'm ready to go!
This past friday marked the last day of the dig for 10 people. All 8 eight Canadians went back to there homes this morning after spending their time in Jerusalem today. I'm very grateful for the chance I've had to get to know them and I'll miss them all. Despite some minor mumbles and grumbles about the heat I found them to be fine workers with good attitudes, not to mention great men and women of God.
We had to rearrange our quarters today b/c the Candians left and have been replaced by Russians in room 2 of the men's house. I was genuinely sad to see the Canadians go already and to add salt to the wound they were replaced by, of all the people coming here to work, some Russians. I don't believe these are the same Russians that I found so annoying last week. As long as these Russians are here to do some work and not give us a fashion show up on the hill, I'll be fine with them being here in our space.
Team Destruction (that's what my team calls ourselves, we work in square D5 thus D is for destruction) had a major milestone occur for us on Friday. The Most Right and Honorable Reverend Heir Doctor Schuler finally gave us the go ahead to unblock the doorway!
Taking the rubble out of the doorway meant that we had completed one of our primary goals of getting out square down to, what ought to be, floor level. That task completed we embarked on a new mission. We are in the process of performing a deep probe in a 1 meter by 3 meter portion of the square. Our mission is to take it down until we hit bedrock. Here's a picture of our new work area.
Our square might be the most important square at the moment b/c depending on what we uncover in the deep probe there will be big implications for the rest of the dig. Dr. Schuler expected us to dig down a little bit and run into bedrock, which would be the final proof he needs to know that the northeast church is not resting on an old Temple of some kind. Finding a temple would be VERY significant for the dig b/c it would almost ensure a renewal for the dig. Byzantine Churches are a dime a dozen around here and, quite frankly, I don't believe the Israeli Antiquity Authority really cares all that much about finding churches. However, Dr. Schuler has said from the beginning that if we find a Temple of some sort he would be ecstatic b/c it would mean an almost certain renewal of Hippos.
We started digging and then it got interesting b/c we ran into a layer of stones that are clearly laid out on purpose and were not just destruction fill of some sort. Here's an early picture of what we unearthed on Friday.
It's hard to say exactly what we have found. At first glance it looks like a floor but it could be a floor with the remnants of a wall. We're below what should be the Byzantine Period and at our depth would be venturing into the Roman era. Dr. Schuler has several different theories but more needs to be unveiled. What will we discover on Monday??? Stay tuned to learn the dramatic continuation of this story and it's inevitable conclusion!
I'm adding a new and infrequent addition to the blog. I'd like to start closing this session with a funny and/or embaressing picture of something around here. I hope that you all will find it as amusing as I do. I like to call this picture "Nathan, caught in the act of eating yogurt without a spoon!" I just think the expression on his face is just hilarious...I don't know why.
Anywho, that's it for Friday's posting.....4 days late. I'll leave you with two more thoughts before I end this.
First, don't consume any more products from Budweiser. Inbev completed their hostile take over of AB Sunday night. So not only are the products sub par mass brewed beer but it's not even American owned anymore. Today is a tragic day for any self-respecting St. Louisan or Missourian.
Second, the All Star game is one Tuesday night 7pm. Go National League!
Keep it real America!
In Christ,
Jake
This past friday marked the last day of the dig for 10 people. All 8 eight Canadians went back to there homes this morning after spending their time in Jerusalem today. I'm very grateful for the chance I've had to get to know them and I'll miss them all. Despite some minor mumbles and grumbles about the heat I found them to be fine workers with good attitudes, not to mention great men and women of God.
We had to rearrange our quarters today b/c the Candians left and have been replaced by Russians in room 2 of the men's house. I was genuinely sad to see the Canadians go already and to add salt to the wound they were replaced by, of all the people coming here to work, some Russians. I don't believe these are the same Russians that I found so annoying last week. As long as these Russians are here to do some work and not give us a fashion show up on the hill, I'll be fine with them being here in our space.Team Destruction (that's what my team calls ourselves, we work in square D5 thus D is for destruction) had a major milestone occur for us on Friday. The Most Right and Honorable Reverend Heir Doctor Schuler finally gave us the go ahead to unblock the doorway!
Taking the rubble out of the doorway meant that we had completed one of our primary goals of getting out square down to, what ought to be, floor level. That task completed we embarked on a new mission. We are in the process of performing a deep probe in a 1 meter by 3 meter portion of the square. Our mission is to take it down until we hit bedrock. Here's a picture of our new work area.Our square might be the most important square at the moment b/c depending on what we uncover in the deep probe there will be big implications for the rest of the dig. Dr. Schuler expected us to dig down a little bit and run into bedrock, which would be the final proof he needs to know that the northeast church is not resting on an old Temple of some kind. Finding a temple would be VERY significant for the dig b/c it would almost ensure a renewal for the dig. Byzantine Churches are a dime a dozen around here and, quite frankly, I don't believe the Israeli Antiquity Authority really cares all that much about finding churches. However, Dr. Schuler has said from the beginning that if we find a Temple of some sort he would be ecstatic b/c it would mean an almost certain renewal of Hippos.We started digging and then it got interesting b/c we ran into a layer of stones that are clearly laid out on purpose and were not just destruction fill of some sort. Here's an early picture of what we unearthed on Friday.
It's hard to say exactly what we have found. At first glance it looks like a floor but it could be a floor with the remnants of a wall. We're below what should be the Byzantine Period and at our depth would be venturing into the Roman era. Dr. Schuler has several different theories but more needs to be unveiled. What will we discover on Monday??? Stay tuned to learn the dramatic continuation of this story and it's inevitable conclusion!I'm adding a new and infrequent addition to the blog. I'd like to start closing this session with a funny and/or embaressing picture of something around here. I hope that you all will find it as amusing as I do. I like to call this picture "Nathan, caught in the act of eating yogurt without a spoon!" I just think the expression on his face is just hilarious...I don't know why.
Anywho, that's it for Friday's posting.....4 days late. I'll leave you with two more thoughts before I end this.First, don't consume any more products from Budweiser. Inbev completed their hostile take over of AB Sunday night. So not only are the products sub par mass brewed beer but it's not even American owned anymore. Today is a tragic day for any self-respecting St. Louisan or Missourian.
Second, the All Star game is one Tuesday night 7pm. Go National League!
Keep it real America!
In Christ,
Jake
What a cliff hanger!!! We don't get to know what you guys found today!! I'm on the edge of my seat to know :P As far as your pictures go the knee pads remind me of my younger years of roller blading with unusual amounts of excess protection and made me smile. And Nathan's picture is quite funny... I hope he washed his hands first, heehee.
AND STOP DRINKING SODA!!!!
:)
Love your pics! Are you building some muscle or eating something other than cucumbers and tomatoes! The pic of you in the doorway is like Samson minus the hair (not to mention the chains, loin cloth, temple columns... Of course, maybe you'll dig up a few temple columns!) I loved the pic!
Ok...Jacob Adam, now your mother is going to scold you...so get ready! No more Russian complaints...you are sterotyping...shame on you!!! You were not raised to be an American snob!!! Ok...end of lecture. (Hey, you got off easy...good thing I miss you!) Now, my dear OPINIONATED son, please take a moment to memorize Col 4:6... :)
Let's see...It's Monday night...11:13 pm as I write this...and I'm on the "seat of my rubble" what you found...if anything TODAY! What a mysterious "rubble hanger" you left us with!
And ANOTHER thing...if you ate yogurt the way Nathan did, you'd get your daily dose of Calcium AND minerals too...provided you didn't wash your hands after handling all that rubble!
Ok...I'm looking again at the picture of you standing in the doorway...really great pic...except for the "mohawk shadow" on the top of your head....It IS a just a SHADOW... right ??????