Syllabus
Site Report
Each student will choose a unique, significant archaeological site (from the list below), for which she or he will write a site report and be prepared to discuss the results during the appropriate class period.
Early Bronze: Arad (Laura), Megiddo (Jillian), Yarmuth
Middle Bronze: Shechem, Jericho (Carmen), Gezer (Michelle)
Late Bronze: Hazor (Rachel), Megiddo (Alexis), Beth Shan (Brandon)
Iron Age: Dan (Danielle), Samaria (Adrian), Beersheba (Ross), Lachish (Erin), Jerusalem (Holli), Ekron (Tel Miqne) (Julie), Megiddo (Joey), Tell Qasile (Elliott), Hazor (Kyle), Arad (Leslie)
Roman: Masada (Katchen), Herodium (Elizabeth), Caesarea (Jessica), Qumran (Stephanie)
Byzantine: Qasrin (Tim), Mampsis (Michael)
Audience
You will write the site report for your peers in the class who have access to the same knowledge base.
Purpose
A clear description of the results of an archaeological excavation is essential to understanding the social, economic, or religious significance of the material culture of the site. This assignment will focus on the student's presentation of the material culture of a site in its archaeological context.
Procedures
A site report is essentially a summary and brief analysis of the material culture excavated at a site. For professional examples of a site report, see the articles in The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, edited by Ephraim Stern (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993).
The site report should include the following information:
1. General description of the site
Where is the site located? Why was this particular site inhabited?
What is the size of the site? What is the nature of the settlement?
What is the historical significance of the site?
2. A summary of excavations at the site
Who excavated the site and when? What are the extent of the excavations?
What archaeological periods are represented at the site?
3. Description of the most important architectural features for the assigned period
Is the city layout evident? What are the fortifications?
Are there palaces? temples? public buildings? residential buildings?
What are the architectural styles of the buildings?
What is the spatial relationship between the buildings?
What is the social, economic, or religious function of the buildings?
What material culture is associated with (found in or near) the buildings?
4. Description of important installations (ovens, wine/oil presses, storage pits, kilns, wells, water systems, altars, high places, etc.) for the assigned period
What is the social, economic, or religious function of the installation?
What is the installation's relationship to architectural features?
5. Description of important artifacts (figurines, tools, scarabs, jewelry, pottery, weapons, etc.) for the assigned period
What is the social, economic, or religious function of the artifact?
What archaeological context in which it was found?
6. Bibliography of works consulted.
At least six sources should be consulted. The bibliography should be put in the following style:
Last Name, First Name
Year
"Article Title." Journal Volume number: pages.
Year
Year
The site report should be 5-6 pages in length.
Due on February 15
Standards and Criteria
The site report is not the presentation of original ideas, but a summary of previous archaeological work at a site. The student should thus represent the archaeological period of the site accurately and thoroughly.
The site report is research based. The student should consult a variety of sources, including encyclopedia articles on the site, excavation reports of the site, monographs treating the site and period, and journal articles on specific features of the site.
