I thought Lydia did a great job at summarizing the historical context of our site below, so I won’t go into that. Instead, I give you, as any art historian would… pictures! This past week has been incredibly exciting, exhausting, and educational, and it’s exactly what I needed after an academically intense semester and wrapping up the first year of grad school. In fact, I handed in my last paper shortly after landing in Tel Aviv and taking a dusty, breathtakingly beautiful ride up to our kibbutz (thanks for the flexible deadline, Bernie! and thank goodness for the [mostly reliable] internet here) This academic year has passed by more quickly than your hair dries in Galilee (and it’s freakishly fast), so I’m very grateful to be able to document this upcoming month, which I’m sure will zip by.
The group has spent most of this week cleaning the site and preparing to start digging in earnest tomorrow. We spent one morning cleaning the paved area in front of the temple, and another pulling out weeds. It hasn’t all been work though!
This is the view of the Hula Valley from the pool at the kibbutz, which is really very swanky. Don’t get too jealous! We’ve also made friends with the lifeguard, who offered to kindly let us in the back gate whenever we needed in order to save a 10 min. walk in the scorching sun. Everyone that we’ve met has been incredibly friendly and helpful, with a jovial sense of humor. Nothing is more enlightening than having conversations with people who actually live here, and the pool has been one opportunity to get a glimpse of the modern Israeli mindset. Hopefully more observations to come on that later.
Amy F. (not Amy B. from Williams), Elvira, and Lydia taking a dip
Corinthian capital columns on the site
persevering little beans, temple in the background
the temple at sunrise (we usually work from 5am until noon)
intoxicatingly fragrant flowers. i would much appreciate any input as to what these are!
These were among the lucky plants not doomed for demolition. It’s kind of sweetly ironic to think that about a month ago in class, we were discussing Deleuze & Guattari’s rhizome structures as a model for knowledge and hierarchy, and now I’m muttering under my breath as I’m yanking out stubborn weeds irl (discovered to be rhizoids with the help of my trowel) and onion bulbs the size of softballs.
the group trekking along at Banias. the abundant, cool, and limpid water really gave meaning to the trope, you don't know what you have until you lose it
the grotto of Pan. the source of the spring used to be in the cave, but a seismic shift has moved it to the mouth. apparently, animal sacrifices used to be thrown into the water, and if no blood appeared in the springwater, then the god has accepted the gift
column capitals and daypacks are my bffs
not-yet-ripe figs, nourished by the springwater. now is the season for succulent cherries, which we had after our homemade falafel dinner last night. yum!!
prof. ben rubin with a child-goat/goat-child metal cutout. what a look of pure joy!
the group gathered around for a discussion of the site's significance and history. and oh yes, that's a beautifully carved altar
More to come soon! I’ll post the FB link to more photos as soon as I can.