By Grant Ginson
The fourth week comes and with it the impending ends of our study season. So much has happened in the past four weeks it is hard to believe we are already nearing the finish line. By this point, each of us has become quite familiar with our roles and our days go by like clockwork.
photography workstation (photo by G. Ginson)
My job this summer was two things, first was to create a comprehensive map incorporating all of the data from previous years in one place. The second was much more experimental and much more exciting, using photogrammetry to create models of some of the artifacts that we have excavated. The mapping mostly involved the retrieving and inputting of data values for different parts of our excavation. Points for objects, top plan data, and topographic data were some of the information that needed to be merged together. The most tedious part of this job was the drawing of thousands of rocks that form a number of walls on site. In total, I have counted approximately 2312 rocks, stones, and boulders that I have drawn this season. The end result was worth it as we now have a map where we can see many of the features on site. For performing the photogrammetry I built myself a lightbox, a device that helps diffuse the light in an even manner to reduce shadows and create a great contrast between the object and the background. photogrammetry involves the taking of pictures which overlap of the object before putting the photos into a program that will connect the images based off of the similarities between them. For good results, a rule of 66% or 2/3 is followed for the amount of overlap between the images. So far the results we have been getting are quite good but there is still room for improvement.
The streets of Mahane Yehuda Market, in Jerusalem (photo by G. Ginson)
This past weekend involved three of us going on a trip to Jerusalem for two nights. Gary, Harpreet, and I began by leaving early Friday morning so we could get across the border with enough time to still see some of the city. Friday became a day devoted to exploring as we wandered around the city both old and new. We went to the Mahane Yehuda Market in West Jerusalem where there were numerous shops and vendors, but it was difficult to tell as the place was filled wall to wall with people. This journey into the modern city gave us a very good look at modern Jerusalem. That night we wandered around the old city where we were staying. Walking through the numerous narrow and covered streets was an experience I have not had anywhere else. Our foray into the old city brought us to some of the remains of the old roman cardo and we spent some time admiring what we could see of the ancient city. The second day saw us visiting the Rockefeller and Israel Museums. Both had amazing artifacts that made the trip worth it such as the Anthropoid coffins from Deir el-Balah and a reconstructed Hyksos grave from Jericho. The final day was a bit rushed but saw us visit the major holy sites of the city. Starting with the Western Wall earlier in the morning we then visited the Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque. We finished by visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which was cut short as we needed to get to the shuttle to take us back to the border. The journey was definitely worth it, albeit very time consuming and tiring. Coming back meant a return to reality, with us all waking up early the next morning to continue our work
The Temple Mount in Jerusalem (photo by G. Hung)