People sometimes wonder about the difference between historians and archaeologists. To illustrate, consider a crime scene. When an illegal event occurs, police officers interview witnesses and review written records. The goal is to gather documentation and use it to make assumptions about what happened. These are the historians. However, there’s a special type of agent (you may know them as crime scene investigators), who focus on the shattered glass, the tire marks, and the dropped weapon. In other words, they gather evidence based on material remains, not on people’s impressions. These are the archaeologists. The archaeological approach has important advantages:
1. History is written by the powerful, the literate, the rich, and sometimes, the mistaken. It is biased by those who create it.
2. Archaeology uncovers all evidence, even if it doesn't match what those in power want others to believe.
3. If there are no historical sources, archaeology is the only option.
4. Most importantly, it can speak for those who had no voice. Examples are the poor, the illiterate, and the enslaved.
It’s time to address the big picture of what I’m doing here. Click this link to see where I am.
Much of human civilization began in this region. It started in Mesopotamia and Egypt, then expanded in all directions including modern day Greece, Italy, Turkey, North Africa, and the Levant. Many people are surprised to learn that Israel wasn’t one of the power players back then. It was small, less populated, and often conquered. It could have easily been another civilization lost to time. However, the Israelites did what few others had done. They recorded their stories. Sure, we have the Epic of Gilgamesh by the Sumerians, the Iliad by the Greeks, and the Aeneid by the Romans. But these don’t match the depth and breadth of the Bible which include a variety of authors, characters, and themes. The Iliad may be a great tale of adventure, but the Bible reaches people on a very personal level because it’s the instruction manual on how to connect with the almighty. In other words, the religious aspect kept the Bible alive and relevant through many generations. Consider this: the 73 books of the Judeo-Christian Bible conquered the world’s only superpower: Rome. Truly, the pen is mightier than the sword.
All of that background offered insight on why I’m here. I knew it was important to visit the land that has influenced so much of the world since 313 CE.
This particular place is called Hippos. It’s a hilltop city occupied during the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine eras. For Christian fans, it was featured in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:14) As he spoke, he was looking at Hippos.
There are no activities scheduled for today, except for an introductory meeting around dinner time. That means I get to entertain myself. Tomorrow, I should have more photos since we’ll be visiting the site. Our schedule is to wake up at 4:00 AM, be on site at 5:00 AM, then work until 12:00 PM. It is too hot to continue past that time. Back at the kibbutz, we’ll document artifacts, attend lectures, and go on field trips.
My biggest challenge of the day is to find food. This is no easy task since it’s the Sabbath, which means nothing is open. Perhaps I can take a lesson from Peter and fish in the Sea of Galilee. Like him, I may be lucky enough to meet Jesus along the way.