Wadi Hamam Excavations

Wadi Hamam Excavations

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Volunteering

The excavation season at Wadi Hamam is conducted once a year over a five week period. Work in the field is carried out Mondays-Fridays, allowing free weekends, during which volunteers may tour the country, or just take it easy and relax.
The upcoming season begins June 13th and concludes July 15th, 2011. The cost for participation is $450-$500 per work week (Sun. evening check in through Fri. morning check out). Minimum participation is one work week, although participation beyond one week is encouraged, in order to enhance the archaeological experience and to better understand the excavation process.
The Work Day
The work day begins with coffee and cookies at the Arbel at 4:50am. Departure for the site from the Arbel at 5:10am. Arrival at the site and beginning of the excavation at 5:30am. The excavation includes various tasks such as: Excavating - with small or large tools, depending on the work which is being carried out. Filling and emptying wheelbarrows and sand bags according to need. Sifting of the soil that is removed from the excavation squares in order to locate coins and other small finds. Cleaning for a better resolution of the architecture, and before photography. Pottery Washing Breakfast is provided at 9:00am; volunteers will be expected to help with the set up and clean up for breakfast. An additional break takes place from 11:15-11:30am. The work day in the field concludes at 1:30pm. At the end of the work day all tools, pottery and finds must be collected and stored in their appropriate storage containers before departing the site. Lunch is served at the Arbel at 2:00pm (all meals are kosher, vegetarian options are available). After lunch, volunteers have free time in accordance with the afternoon activities, which consist of lectures and field trips to nearby sites. Dinner is served at the Arbel at 8:00pm. The staff is comprised of students and personnel from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The work force consists of students and volunteers from around the world, as well as local workers from the Galilee. The volunteers (18 years and older) need no previous experience or skills.

Accommodations
The expedition will be staying at the Arbel Holiday Homes run by the Konwitz family at Moshav Arbel (a small village 7 km west of Tiberias). Volunteers will be sharing rooms (2-3 people per room) in wooden cabins (2-4 rooms per cabin). Each cabin is equipped with a private bathroom, kitchenette, A/C, TV and a porch. Additional amenities for the use of the volunteers include: a swimming pool, sauna, a recreation room and free WiFi. Volunteers may stay (for an additional fee) in the cabins over the weekends; reservations should be made in advance directly with the Arbel Holiday Homes: http://www.inisrael.com/arbel/ Benny Konwitz’s phone number: +972-50-528-1911.

Costs and Registration
There is a non-refundable application fee of US$50, which should be made payable to Wadi Hamam Excavations. This sum covers room and full board from Sunday evening check in through the end of the work day on Friday, as well as all afternoon activities. The fee does not include airfare to and from Israel, nor transportation within the country. Participants must make their own travel arrangements.

In order to register for the excavation, please download the application form and return a completed copy to the address therein.

If you have any additional questions, please contact Ms. Yuli Gekht at: wadi.hamam@gmail.com.

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