Educational arcaeology program offers real experience to life-long enthusiasts and complete amateurs.The Biblical Archaeology Society is accepting applications for their 2020 dig scholarships. Winners will receive $2,000 dollars to put towards their trip to the Holy Land, where they will take part in one of several digs during the 2020 excavation season.
The month-long trip will consist of hard, rewarding work at a real archaeological site in the Middle East. Those with no background in archaeology will learn the techniques of the trade, such as how to excavate a site without damaging any artifacts, the correct way to clean artifacts once unearthed, and how experts preserve their finds.
Those with archaeological experience are offered a chance to take their skills further. They will learn aspects of the job that they may not have practiced previously, and may even be exposed to the administrative aspects of their profession.
Participants will be offered educational lectures that will bring the landscape to life with historic references, which help reinforce the relevance of the region and any discovery.
One of last year’s winners, Margaret Bracey, felt that starting every day at sunrise, surrounded by the glorious landscape of our biblical ancestors, was one of the most rewarding aspects of the trip. She wrote:
My favorite and probably the most spiritual part was seeing more of God’s creation by getting up early each morning, riding through the mountains from Jerusalem to Jericho, arriving at the site just as the sun rose over the Jordan Valley, and discovering history in the beautiful desert.
Another winner from last year, Demorick Green, praised the leadership of his dig. He said that the experts who direct the dig sites are knowledgeable and approachable. He also noted that they bring together a good group of workers, with whom he became fast friends.
It’s not all heavy lifting and hard labor. On weekends, workers are taken on tours of their respective regions. Here, participants are exposed to already excavated sites, which gives them an idea of how their own site may look when it is fully excavated.
Applicants must submit a resume, complete with cover letter and professional or academic references, and they must also demonstrate a financial need for the scholarship. Applications can be sent by email to scholarships@bib-arch.org or by mail to BAS Dig Scholarships, 4710 41st St., NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA.
