Digging in
Event offers kids a mock archaeological excavation

By KANIQUA S. DANIEL
Of The Daily Oakland Press


WEST BLOOMFIELD TWP. - With 900 square feet of dirt, thousands of reconstructed ancient artifacts and a bunch of kids ready to dig, an artificial archaeological dig can be created just like the excavation sites found in Israel.

This summer, children are exploring Jewish roots at Diggin' Israel, an experience that gives families the opportunity to learn what occurs at an authentic archaeological dig.

Staged by the Shalom Street museum on the grounds of the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield Township, participants see firsthand what happens after an excavation and how the artifacts found are studied, preserved and documented.

They can also learn how to restore objects with the help of archaeologist Aaron Greener. He is with a nonprofit educational organization in Jerusalem called Melitz, which served as a consultant on the design and construction of the exhibit.

"This has been done as authentically as possible, so it's gotten pretty expensive," Greener said. "Anything you would find at a real excavation site, we've got it here."

More than 2,300 Israeli artifacts, including coins, beads, bones and mosaic floor pieces, have been replicated for the dig.

"We don't care if they break them because that's how they're usually found in reality," Greener said. "They'll get dirty, find some special pieces, then sift the dirt to look for any smaller artifacts they may have missed."

After participants are done sifting and identifying their finds, everyone goes back to the Lab Station to see how real archaeologists learn about history through the items they discover.

Participants organize and restore the items, then take them home as souvenirs.

This simulated dig, titled Tel-Shalom, dates back 2,000 years to explore the daily life of ancient people in Israel during the Second Temple Period.

A "tel" is an artificial mound of dirt created by the remains of a civilization, one layer on top of another.

"We're re-creating a house of that era, then we're going to say our house was destroyed by the Roman army, just like it happened in Jerusalem years ago," Greener said. "This is really going to help kids connect with Jewish history in Israel. They're gonna walk away with a fun-filled experience and a new insight on archaeology."

For non-Jews, Greener said the experience will be just as uplifting.

"They'll learn about the time when Jesus walked the land of Israel," he said. "When Jesus lived, he used these same kinds of artifacts during his daily activities."

Jonathan Beller, Shalom Street director, just returned from a trip to Israel. He said he hopes the Jewish values and lifestyle he was exposed to will be instilled in the children through Diggin' Israel.

"We wanted to bring in a new exhibit, something different that's never been done before," Beller said. "Shalom Street is known for thinking outside of the box, and we hope this experience inspires them to volunteer for a real dig in Israel someday."

Aside from digging for ancient artifacts, participants will learn how to translate the Hebrew language on parchment paper, which is used in Israel.