The 2015 season has begun at Hippos of the Decapolis, overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Although taking a break in this photo, the team is making good progress toward uncovering the eastern section of the House of Tyche.
In the past, the Concordia Team has stayed at Kibbutz Ein Gev, just below Sussita mountain. This season, we will be staying at Kibbutz Sha’ar HaGolan, just south of the Sea of Galilee near the place where the Yarmuk River joins the Jordan River. Nearby are the famous hot spring of Hamat Gader, connected in antiquity with the Decapolis city Gadara (just across the border in Jordan).
We will miss the beautiful sunsets across the Sea of Galilee. But our location is further away from the tense part of the Golan Heights, and the site gives returning diggers an opportunity to learn about and experience the Yarmuk valley.
As we post information about the excavation upcoming, there will be references to various locus numbers. The chart below lists those numbers for your reference. On the chart, north is to the left.
The plan for the 2015 season of the Concordia University team at Hippos of the Decapolis is to complete exposure of the final stage of interior of the House of Tyche. Work will concentrate on the un-excavated eastern section of the house, exposing part or all of squares DP40, DP41, DQ39, DQ40, DQ41, DR39, DR40, and DR41.
Initially we will mark out two perpendicular balks: one will be on the line between rows 40 and 41 and the other on the line between rows DP and DQ.
We will initially open and excavate DQ41 and DP40.
Subsequently, our efforts will focus on DQ40 and on exposing enough of DR39, DR40, and DR41 to show some of the east side of W1298 (the east wall of the house) and the line of Cardo 4 North.
Following documentation of the stratigraphy in the balks, we plan to remove them at the end of the season.
Should time permit, we will conduct probes to bedrock under floors in the southeast quadrant of the house.
New shirts are available for the 2015 season. Get your look for the field or support the team. Buy them at our Dig Store.