How does one fund an archaeological excavation in a serious recession?

In just over two weeks from now, on June 14, we will begin our 2009 season of excavating at our Mt Zion site. Although we are just outside the present Old City Wall, outside Zion Gate, we are actually well inside the ancient walls of Jerusalem, in fact the spot we are digging is pretty much “center city” as things were 2000 years ago.

The three questions I get most often when I lecture on our Mt Zion excavation are: 1) How do you choose where to dig and what are you hoping to find? 2) How do you get permission to carry out an excavation? 3) What does it cost to run an archaeological dig and who pays for it?

That this area of Jerusalem even exists without modern buildings over it, allowing us to excavate, and that it is well preserved due to centuries of debris, truly makes this one of the most exciting excavations in Israel. This summer we will be coming down upon Roman period ruins and uncovering layers that have been untouched since the destruction of the city in 70 AD/CE by the Romans! I can’t think of a more exciting place to dig. We are truly privileged to have our connection to this site through Dr. Shimon Gibson, based on his history of working in Jerusalem.

Our Mt Zion dig is also the only academic excavation, sponsored by a university (UNC Charlotte), taking place in Jerusalem. Most excavations these days are carried out by the Antiquities Authority or other institutions using hired workers, but we actually run a field school for four weeks, with academic credit available. In order to dig anywhere in Israel one must obtain various permits. It is a complex process, with various political ramifications, and nothing is guaranteed.  Excavating in Jerusalem is even more complex because one must deal with several entities, including the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Parks Authority, and the Jerusalem municipality. The good news is that we have everything now arranged for 2009 and are ready to begin.

I am also pleased to report that we have 50 participants officially registered to join us as “team members” spread over the four weeks. This is really quite extraordinary in these economic times when it would be easy to postpone participation in a dig like this to another year. The people coming are diverse in age, background, and experience and judging from the applications we could not have put together a better group. Their enthusiasm and dedication is contagious and exciting.

So with everything in place how are things funded? And more specifically, how do you fund an archaeological excavation during an economic recession? Even though things are very tight, with a spending freeze in place in many states, including North Carolina, we still find there are lots of loyal donors and friends of our Project who want to help us with funding. In order to reach beyond our present very dedicated donor base we have initiated a Web Funding Drive. So far it is going very well indeed and we invite readers to take a look.

If you go to our main Web site (http://digmountzion.com) you will find the “Pitch In” logo on the opening information page, as well as at our Donations link:

http://digmountzion.com/information/donations.html

You can make a secure donation on-line instantly by using a Paypal account or a credit or debit card. It is not necessary to open a Paypal account to use this service. If you prefer to write a check you should make it to The Foundation for Biblical Archaeology and mark it “Mt Zion 2009,” mailing it to TFBA, 2659 Freedom Parkway, Suite 307, Cummings, GA 30041. All contributions are tax deductible and you will promptly receive a receipt. Also, TFBA does not take any overhead to act as our vendor in this way, for which we are very grateful to Sheila Bishop, founder and president. That means 100% of what is given goes directly to our excavation costs.

Also, our main Web site is rich with information about the dig, its history, photos, and videos, see http://digmountzion.com. There is lots to browse and quite easy to get “hooked” on this exciting Project.

This summer, join us as we host this exciting seminar series in the beautiful, idyllic setting of St. Olaf College, JULY 5 – 11, 2009. Just 35 miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, St. Olaf is set on a hilltop overlooking historic Northfield, MN, a charming, two-college town with a welcoming community. This BAS vacation seminar takes place within the beautiful and restorative setting of the college’s award-winning architecture nestled in a 300-acre woodland. During the week-long seminar, Biblical scholars Dr. James Tabor and Dr. Tina Wray will illuminate the compelling and mysterious world of the Bible in a series of 18 lectures. This unique program provides you with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from and interact with two of the most eminent scholars in the field in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Both Tabor and Wray will be fresh back from digging in Israel at Mt Zion.

Biblical Controversies, Conundrums and Characters:
Sorting through all the Evidence

LECTURES BY DR. TINA WRAY

Hazardous Duty: Life for Women During Biblical Antiquity
What Makes a Good Girl Good and a Bad Girl Bad? Good Girls in the Hebrew Bible
Don’t Say the F-Word: Watch Out for Those Forbidden Foreign Females!
Don’t Lose Your Head: Biblical Women as Executioners
Complicated Liaisons: An Exploration of Unusual Male/Female Relationships in the Bible
Where the Devil Did the Devil Come From? Satan’s Childhood
Monsters, Bogeymen, and Demons: Chaos Creatures in the Ancient Near East
Ah, They Grow Up So Fast! Satan’s Adolescence and Adulthood
It’s a Little Warm in Here: The Evolution of Hell

LECTURES BY DR. JAMES TABOR

Dead Messiahs Who Don’t Return
Parting of the Ways: When Did a New Religion Called Christianity Begin?
The Making of a Messiah
Tracing the Last Days of Jesus: The Latest Archaeological Evidence
Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls—What can We Say in 2009?
Surprises on Mt Zion: Understanding Ancient Jerusalem
Counting Time: Biblical Chronology & Calendars Made Simple
What Does the Bible Really Say about Death, Afterlife, and Resurrection?
The Paul Dynasty

See the BAS Web site for complete details as to cost and registration and further background on Tabor and Wray:

http://www.bib-arch.org/travel-study/st-olaf-2009.asp (more…)

Shimon Gibson has recently posted a summary of his own take on the controversial question historians have wrestled with for the past 150 years–why was Jesus killed?  It is of course taken from his book, The Final Days of Jesus: The Archaeological Evidence (HarperOne, 2009), which I reviewed last month. You can find it posted on the Web site BibleInterp.com. Once one goes beyond the merely theological perspective, namely that God gave his son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, so his death was predestined and inevitable, a host of questions emerge. To what degree were the Romans involved? Did the Jewish establishment uniformly condemn Jesus to die, or only a small segment thereof? Was he popular with the people? In what ways was he perceived to be a threat to those who wished to do him in?

Gibson argues his own thesis that Jesus was a threat to the authorities, both Jewish and Roman, not for reasons connected with any sort of messianic claims, with their potential seditious political overtones that might lead to insurrection, but because his healing activities among the huge crowds at Passover might foment social unrest. His argument is fascinating and worth considering. Since this question is absolutely central to my own take on Jesus as messianic claimant to the Davidic throne, as presented in The Jesus Dynasty, I anticipate that my dialog and differences with Gibson will be most instructive for readers, and even more so for students and colleagues who join us this summer on our Mt Zion dig. I expect we will have some really lively discussions, both in formal and informal sessions.

Speaking of which, Egon Lass, veteran archaeologist and colleague, will be joining us at Mt Zion this summer for the entire dig season (June 14-July 10). This is wonderful news for students and staff alike since Egon is one of the most experienced archaeologists in the field, and having him work with us will certainly add significantly to our work. As it happens, Egon has just posted his own review of Gibson’s book at Helium.com. So it looks like we will have lots to discuss, with diverse viewpoints, as we gather in Jerusalem this summer, right over the ground where the events took place. We still have room for volunteers to join us, so if any of you are considering the idea there is still time. You will find all details at digmountzion.com.