Bonnie Fuller
Fourth graders were a successful team on their first dig.
BSpade 16:4 (Fall 2003) p. 123
Just beginning the dig Kris, Keith, Ashley, and Valerie are all smiles.
The fourth graders at West Fallowfield Christian School in Atglen PA, decided to take Bible and Spade’s challenge to do their own backyard archaeological dig (Spring 2001:63–64). They brought in items from home for me to “seed” in my husband’s garden. Next, they divided into four teams and chose the special jobs they would have the day of the dig. Mark said, “It was fun to be the supervisor of our group.”
The day of the dig was bright and sunny. It was the warmest day of April, which made it very similar to an Israel dig! Johanna Commented, “It was very hot that day, and we had to wear pants!”
First, the diggers measured their squares (6 feet by 6 feet) and put in their stakes. Next, they used their compasses to find magnetic north. Many especially liked working with the compasses and tape measures!
Then the fun began! They dug, dug, and dug some more. The carefully sifted all the dirt that they had dug up so they would not miss any finds. They found coins, jewelry, pottery, fossils, corncobs, and a brick. They found a complete pot and many pottery pieces. They were surprised when they found thing I had not put there!
Artists began to draw immediately, and draftsmen worked frantically to keep up with all the artifact locations to be plotted on their graphs. When I said it was time to break for lunch, everyone was amazed at how quickly the time went. Students washed up, found a shady place, and ate their lunches while discussing their finds and future dig tactics.
After lunch, the fourth graders went back to their squares and the final hours of digging. They carefully removed their artifacts from buckets to each team’s labeled bag. Their final task was to clean up all their materials and tools.
Kate and Ashley carefully sit to check for small finds.
BSpade 16:4 (Fall 2003) p. 124
Photography is essential to document the found artifacts.
At the end of the dig day, all the fourth graders has a popsicle treat. I had told them that I always looked forward to a popsicle treat at the end of my ABR dig day. Tired but satisfied, they took a final group photo and returned to school.
During the next week, they sorted, washed, and evaluated artifacts. Then supervisors and assistant supervisors wrote their reports. One team glued a pot together. That was a difficult job, but they did not give up. Finally, there were photos to take of all the artifacts and fresh, clean copies to make of the square plans and drawings.
All the students had fun on the dig. Kimberly later wrote in her journal, “I was the supervisor of my square. It was so amazing! I didn’t find any pieces of pottery, but I still had a ton of fun! I used to want to be a teacher, but now my second thought is archaeology. I would love to do it again when I’m older!”
It was a great day for everyone. Many of the parents and even one grandmother could not resist stopping by just to see all the things the children were doing that day. All of my students deserved an A+ for their dig work. They were excellent beginning archaeologists!
Each find was carefully plotted on a top plan.
Contributing Authors
Gary A. Byers is a staff member of the Associates for Biblical Research and administrative director of ABR’s excavation at Khirbet el-Maqatir.
Todd Bolen is a faculty member of Master’s College Israel Bible Extension (IBEX) program. He has served as a Square Supervisor with the Kh. el-Maqatir excavation since 1997 and has participated in a number of other excavations in Israel.
Stephen Caesar a staff member of ABR, is currently pursuing graduate work in anthropology/archaeology at Harvard University. He is also an adjunct professor of Newbury College MA.
Gordon ABR staff member, has served as a field trip instructor at the Jerusalem University College and is now with the Israel Bible Extension program in Israel, conducted by The Masters College. He is also adjunct professor in the Talbot School of Theology’s “Bible Lands Program.”
Bonnie Fuller is an elementary school teacher who is an experienced archaeologist. She worked several seasons at ABR’s Khirbet el-Maqatir excavation as excavator and artist.
Bryant G. Wood is a director of the Associates for Biblical Research and director of ABR’s excavation at Khirbet el-Maqatir, Israel.