Tel Bet Yerah Archaeological Project
Tel Bet Yerah (Khirbet Kerak) is a large mound dramatically situated on Sea of Galilee, in close proximity to the Jordan River outlet, in Israel. Occupied throughout the Early Bronze Age (3,500 – 2,300 BCE) and sporadically in later times, Bet Yerah is the type site for Khirbet Kerak Ware, a unique ceramic industry created by Early Bronze Age migrants with roots in Transcaucasia. In 2010 we will continue to investigate the monumental ‘Circles Building’(granary?) in its urban context, excavating nearby paved streets and domestic complexes dating to the Early Bronze III (about 2700 BCE). We will also renew excavations in the recently identified Umayyad palace of the 7th – 8th centuries CE.
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Room and Board Specifics
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Hostel accommodations at Ohalo Manor, 4 – 5 students in a room with ensuite shower. Swimming in Lake Kinneret. Wireless internet.
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch and evening meals will be provided. Students are responsible for meals on their days off (Friday – Saturday). Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have special dietary needs, as well as any medical or physical conditions. We will advise you accordingly.
Hostel accommodations at Ohalo Manor, 4 – 5 students in a room with ensuite shower. Swimming in Lake Kinneret. Wireless internet.
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch and evening meals will be provided. Students are responsible for meals on their days off (Friday – Saturday). Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have special dietary needs, as well as any medical or physical conditions. We will advise you accordingly.
Archaeological Training Offered
Excavations: Students will participate in guided excavations in several excavation fields on the mound. These will include Early Bronze Age public and domestic buildings and related features, the Umayyad palace, and test pits in the geophysical survey area.
Recording: Students will be taught to fill out excavation forms, measure and map excavation contexts, and record stratigraphy.
Cataloging and Laboratory: Students will participate in pottery washing and sorting, registration and cataloging of finds, as well as in the initial processing of environmental data (archaeobotanical samples, soil samples, archaeozoological material).
Tuition
Number of credits: 12 UCLA credit units
Offered by: UCLA
Tuition: $5,300 UC Students; $5,750 all others
Offered by: UCLA
Tuition: $5,300 UC Students; $5,750 all others
Organized Activities
EXCURSIONS:
Students will be able to benefit from several organized fieldtrips. The first will be an introductory tour to the mound and its surroundings. A full day fieldtrip on Friday in the third/fourth week of the excavation will take you to some of the famous archaeological sites of Israel. Additional afternoon trips will include archaeological sites currently under excavation (to be announced at a later date), and other places of interest around Lake Kinneret.
Weekends can be used to rest and relax at the hotel or for independent sightseeing. Please consult with the staff about independent travel during the program.
Students will be able to benefit from several organized fieldtrips. The first will be an introductory tour to the mound and its surroundings. A full day fieldtrip on Friday in the third/fourth week of the excavation will take you to some of the famous archaeological sites of Israel. Additional afternoon trips will include archaeological sites currently under excavation (to be announced at a later date), and other places of interest around Lake Kinneret.
Weekends can be used to rest and relax at the hotel or for independent sightseeing. Please consult with the staff about independent travel during the program.
Personal Travel Restrictions
You are responsible for making your own travel arrangements to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV). El Al Israel Airlines (http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/States/General) is the only airline that flies directly from Los Angeles to Israel three times a week. Many other US carriers fly from hubs throughout the US to Tel Aviv, and almost all European carriers through hubs in Europe. Summer is the high tourist season in Israel and advanced purchase of your ticket may substantially reduce its cost.
On Saturday, June 26, a complimentary bus departs from Ben Gurion airport to Ohalo. Exact departure time and pickup location will be provided at a later date.
Following the last day of the field school there will be transportation back to Tel Aviv.
Weekend sight‐seeing on days off is your responsibility.
Contact Info
Dr. Raphael (Rafi) Greenberg
Contact Person:
Dr. Raphael (Rafi) Greenberg
310.825.3050
Affiliates and Sponsors
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA
Recommended Readings
A. Mazar. Archaeology of the Land of the Bible. New York: Doubleday (1990): Chapter One: Introduction (Pp. 1-33)
Chapter Four: The Emergence of Cities, the Early Bronze Age (Pp. 91-150)
R. Greenberg, E. Eisenberg, S. Paz and Y. Paz. Bet Yerah – The Early Bronze Age Mound: Excavation Reports, 1933 – 1986. IAA Reports 30. Jerusalem (2006).
Chapter 1: History of Investigations and Excavations at Tel Bet Yerah (pp. 1–16).
Chapter 3: Area SA: The Stekelis-Avi-Yonah Excavations (Circles Building), 1945–1946 (pp. 53–103).
Additional articles on Tel Bet Yerah:
Greenberg, R. 2007. Transcaucasian Colors: Khirbet Kerak Ware at Khirbet Kerak (Tel Bet Yerah). In B. Lyonnet ed. Les cultures anciennes des pays du Caucase (6ème-3ème millénaire). Paris. Pp. 257–268.
Greenberg, R. 2008. Beth Yerah: Renewed Excavations and Research. In: Stern, E. el. al. (Eds.). The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land 5: Supplementary Volume. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society. Pp. 1650–1651.
Mazar, A. 2001. On the Significance of the Early Bronze III Granary Building at Beit Yerah. In: Wolff, S.R. (ed.). Studies in the Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands in Memory of Douglas L. Esse (SAOC 59/ ASOR Books 5). Chicago - Atlanta: Oriental Institute and ASOR. Pp.: 447–463.
Whitcomb, D. 2002. Khirbet al-Karak Identified with Sinnabra. Al-‘Usur Al-Wusta. The Bulletin of Middle East Medievalists 14/1: 1–6.
