San Miceli 2014, Justin Singleton
Jalul 2014, Paul Gregor, Constance Gane, and Helena Gregorhttps://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/iaham-news/1060/thumbnail.jp

Gane, Constance

Gregor, Helena

Gregor, Paul

Singleton, Justin

English

Andrews University

Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University The Institute of Archaeology & the Horn Archaeological Museum Newsletter The Institute of Archaeology & the Horn Archaeological Museum Fall 2014 The Institute of Archaeology & Siegfried H. Horn Museum Newsletter Volume 35.4 Justin Singleton Andrews University, singleto@andrews.edu Paul Gregor Andrews University, pgregor@andrews.edu Constance Gane Andrews University, cgane@andrews.edu Helena Gregor Andrews University, helena@andrews.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/iaham-news Recommended Citation Singleton, Justin; Gregor, Paul; Gane, Constance; and Gregor, Helena, "The Institute of Archaeology & Siegfried H. Horn Museum Newsletter Volume 35.4" (2014). The Institute of Archaeology & the Horn Archaeological Museum Newsletter. 58. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/iaham-news/58 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the The Institute of Archaeology & the Horn Archaeological Museum at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Institute of Archaeology & the Horn Archaeological Museum Newsletter by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact repository@andrews.edu. Table of ContentsPageSan Miceli 2014Jalul 2014Al-MaktábaRandom SurveyINSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGYHORN ARCHAEOLOGICALMUSEUMNEWSLETTERPaul J. Ray, Jr.                                EditorConstance E. Gane             Assoc. EditorRandall W. Younker            Assoc. EditorRobert D. Bates                     Asst. EditorJustin Singleton                     Asst. EditorThe Newsletter is published four times ayear by the Institute of Archaeology,Andrews University. Annual subscriptionprice is $7.50. Museum membership,subscription, and editorial correspon-dence should be addressed to the HornArchaeological Museum, Institute ofArchaeology, Andrews University, 9047US 31, Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0990,Telephone 269-471-3273, Fax 269-471-3619, e-mail hornmusm@andrews.edu.Volume 35.4 Fall 2014ISSN 1095-2837                                   San Miceli 2014In the summer of 2014, the Andrews University Institute of Archaeology began working on adifferent type of project than it has traditionally done in the past, focusing on New Testament andearly-church archaeology. The project is also located in a country which the Institute has not previ-ously worked, in Sicily, Italy, at the site of San Miceli. This project involved the excavation ofmosaics, burials, and basilica walls, instead of the typical domestic, fortification and water systemstructures it typically excavates. Furthermore, this project was led, not by faculty with years ofexcavation experience, though they were there for advice, but by Michelle Berglin and ChristopherChadwick, who are PhD students in archaeology. Such is the beginning of the involvement ofAndrews University on this Mediterranean island and in a period of history, known as Paleo-Christianity, as opposed to the Byzantine period, typical of the Levant.On October 6, 2014 Dr. Randall Younker, Michelle Berglin, and Christopher Chadwick pre-sented an illustrated lecture on their finds the previous summer entitled “Andrews UniversityExcavation in Sicily.” Dr. Younker began the lecture by presenting background information relat-ing to the biblical text and the purpose of research. The Apostle Paul, after being shipwrecked onthe island of Malta (Acts 28:1), stayed at Syracuse, Sicily (Acts 28:12), for three days, and manybelieve this to be the origin of Christianity on the island, most likely beginning at a Jewish com-munity, as seen elsewhere throughout the Roman world. If Christianity on the island did in factbegin at Syracuse, how did it spread throughout the rest of the island?Chris Chadwick, Constance Gane and Vivian Laughlin in Field A Building. (Cont’d on p. 2)1234Around 180 AD, there existed athriving Christian community at Syracuseas evidenced by the catacombs there.Meanwhile, on the western side of theisland, the catacombs atMarsala/Lilybaeum appeared. In the late3rd century, the philosopher Porphyry,then living at Lilybaeum, wrote againstthe Christians, lending credence to aprominent Christian community existingin this city. The question then is what didthe early church in the western-most partof the island look like, and how early didthe church actually exist as an organizedentity? Thus, we come to San Miceli.San Miceli is a basilica dedicated tothe archangel Michael. The site was dis-covered in 1893 when a gold coin wasfound in an agricultural field. AntonioSalinas started the excavation, and just afew centimeters below the groundmosaics appeared. He discovered threedifferent phases of the church, built oneon top of the other, evidenced by threedifferent mosaics built in the same fash-ion. According to Salinas, the first churchwas pre-Constantine, and includedinscriptions in both Latin and Greek. Inall, 58 tombs were discovered in the basil-ica area. In one of these, a medallion ofGratian, the Roman Emperor from 375-383, was found, helping to establish adate for this tomb. In addition to the basil-ica, the mosaics, and the tombs, a Romanvillage was discovered not far away.Research this summer focused onboth the Roman village (Field A) and thebasilica (Field B). The Roman village isbeing excavated by ChristopherChadwick, who presented the next part ofthe lecture. The focus of his research is anattempt to locate the shift from pagan toChristian culture within village life. Twosquares were originally laid out, but workwas concentrated primarily in one, wherewalls and a flagstone floor were soonfound. On the basis of their thickness, thewalls may belong to a monumental build-ing of some sort, but this will need to bedetermined by further excavations.Roman glass, a destruction layer, and pot-tery dating from the 5th century onwardwere also found. Michelle Berglin ended the lecture,focusing on the basilica (Field B).Excavation here began with an already-known mosaic floor in the north aisle, andalong the northern wall of the basilica,previously excavated by Salinas.Approximately 9.0 m of mosaic werereexamined, but at its eastern end, (underwhat was previously thought to be a wall,by Salinas, but now determined to be rocktumble), a bird motif, different from thegeometric patterns already known fromthe mosaic, was discovered. In addition, asecond wall, believed to be from an earli-er basilica, was discovered outside of thealready-determined north wall of a laterbasilica. Another find was a previously-unexcavated burial outside what isbelieved to be the eastern wall of thebasilica. The burial, dating to the 6th cen-tury,  was stone lined on the top and sides,and contained the complete body of anelderly woman (age determined by dentalware and sex by the presence of earringsbeside the skull), along with parts of asecond body. The grave also included awhole jug, dating from 4th to 6th century,along with one and a half rings and acoin. Based on these findings, as well asthe rather large number of burials earlierdiscovered by Salinas, it is believed thatthis is a mortuary basilica. As this mightbe the earliest-known basilica on theisland, Berglin’s future research willattempt to understand the change frompagan to Christian worship practices.The fieldwork at San Miceli, is onlyone aspect of the research of the Instituteof Archaeology in Sicily, and future exca-vations are already being planned withmuch work going into preparations forexpanding these two fields. (JustinSingleton)The 2014 season of excavations atTall Jalul was carried out from June 1-20by faculty and students from AndrewsUniversity.  The excavations were direct-ed by Paul Z. Gregor and Constance Ganeof the Institute of Archaeology atAndrews University.  Mr Adnan Al-Rafayah served as representative for theDepartment of Antiquities of Jordan.Excavations on the tell took place only inone field this season: Field W (theReservoir).During the 2010 season, Field W wasopened in order to explore the nature andfunction of the water channel that waspartially uncovered in Field G during the2007 and 2009 seasons, and its relation-ship to water reservoir.  Eleven squareshave been opened in Field W during the2010, 2011, and 2012 seasons, with workcontinuing in Squares W9 and 10 duringthis season.Following the discovery of reservoirwall and its floor in Square W5, duringthe 2011 season, balks from the surround-ing squares eroded and collapsed, fillingSquare W5 with up to 2.5 m of material.The first week of this season was spentclearing these debris.  To prevent furthercollapse of the remaining balks, fromother squares, they were also removed atthis time.Michelle Berglin and Jusin Singleton inField B burial.Jalul  2014Excavation was then continued inSquares W9 and 10, which were openedduring the previous (2012) season, atwhich time the sherd material suggestedthat the reservoir was constructed duringthe 10th century BC. The goal this seasonwas to reach the floor of the reservoir, andin the process to ascertain the time whenthe structure went out of use. Preliminarypottery readings, from the current season,suggest that the reservoir ceased to func-tion during Late Iron Age II (7th-6th cen-turies BC).It is possible that the floor of thereservoir was accessible on its easternside, where a small stair-like structurewas discovered, this season, in SquareW10. The actual function of this structure,however, is yet to be determined, since it AL-MAKTÁBAThe BookstoreMUSEUM AND INSTITUTE MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLEat the following levels:Benefactor $1000 Patron $500 Sponsor $100Sustainer $50 Contributor $25 Participator $10Newsletter subscriptions are included in each level of membership, or you may subscribe for just $7.50 per year.Just clip this form and send it to:Horn Archaeological Museum Your Name: Andrews UniversityBerrien Springs, MI 49104-0990 Address:Membership level: Phone: Subscription only ($7.50): E-mail:Donations: Fax:Total Enclosed:Please make checks payable to: Horn ArchaeologicalMuseum. has been only partially excavated. (PaulGregor, Constance Gane and HelenaGregor)Christine Chitwood in Jalul Reservoir.Interested in Learning About NewArchaeological Discoveries? The Horn Archaeological Museum isoffering all of the readers of itsNewsletter a free membership to theFriends of ASOR which includes TheAncient Near East Today: Current NewsAbout the Ancient Past, a monthlye-newsletter that publishes discoveriesand insights on archaeology. In order to obtain this valuable resourceplease send your email address to:hornmuseum@andrews.eduMycenaean Palace Found: Excavations at Aghios Vassilioswest of Sparta, Greece, haverevealed a Mycenaean palace, datedto the 14th century BC, fragments ofwall paintings, and bronze swords.Excavation followed the location ofLinear B tablets at the site severalyears ago, pointing to the existenceof a powerful central authority anddistribution system. The decipheredtexts refer to perfume and cloth pro-duction, a trade controlled by apalace administration.  The locationof a double axe also indicatescontact with Crete. Other findsinclude seals, ceramic and bronzevessels, and 21 bronze swords. Tombs Discovered in Turkey:A number of rock-cut tombs, some with skeletons, have recently been located in the Midyat areaof SE Turkey, a prominent location for the ancient Syriac culture. The tombs date between thethird and second centuries BC. Finds include bracelets, teardrop bottles, and necklaces.                       Roman Temple Found:Archaeologists have found a temple, probably dedi-cated to the goddess Fortuna at the foot CapitolineHill in the center of Rome, near what was then a har-bor for merchant ships. The temple may date close tothe founding of Rome in the 7th century BC.Industrial Area Found:Egyptian archaeologistshave found an industrialarea at the site of Tell Abu-Seifi, on the former Al-Bilozi branch of the Nile,where three Ptolemaic andRoman military encamp-ments were located, east ofthe Suez Canal. Included area several workshops for theproduction of clay andbronze statues and vessels,as well as administrativebuildings, store galleries anda whole residential area forlaborers. Amphora, import-ed from southern Italy,bronze coins of Ptolemy IIand IV and statues of thegod Bes were also found.To discover more about archaeology, theInstitute, and the Museum, contact us at:VOX: 269-471-3273FAX: 269-471-3619E-mail: hornmuseum@andrews.eduor visit our website at:www.andrewsarchaeology.orgThe Institute of ARCHAEOLOGYSiegfried H. Horn Museum    Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0990Address Service RequestedNon-profit OrganizationU.S. Postage  PAIDPermit No. 5Berrien Springs, MI 49103Dalmanutha Found?A surface survey in the Ginosar Valley, not far from Migdal, inIsrael, has revealed a number of Late Hellenistic, Roman andByzantine period artifacts, including red-slipped wares, ribbedcooking pots and amphorae, glass sherds, limestone vesselfragments, stone and ceramic tesserae, agricultural objects andolive presses. Researchers believe these could be the remains ofDalmanutha, a biblical city mentioned in the Gospel of Mark.

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The Institute of Archaeology & Siegfried H. Horn Museum Newsletter Volume 35.4

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