In Israel, archaeology is a national sport. Layers of the eons have been excavated in 3,500 digs around the small country. Some of the most dramatic finds have been the ritual baths at Masada, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and, most recently, a new part of the tunnel system around the Western Wall. Israel does not remain in the past. But it is integrating that past directly into its present and future.
Archaeology here is very much a viable, thriving endeavor.
Active excavations are taking place at nearly two dozen archaeological sites each year, many of which accept volunteers. Usually, no previous experience is necessary. The work includes digging, shoveling, hauling baskets of earth, cleaning pottery shards, and more. One such site is Tel Tanninim, an ancient harbor city on the Mediterranean coast, five kilometers north of Caesarea. The dig, entering its third season this summer, is led by Prof. Robert Stieglitz, who teaches biblical archaeology, the Bible as literature, and Jewish civilization courses at Rutgers University in Newark.