Shocking Discovery in Grid 51

That's right... HELL EXISTS.  And it's in Grid 51!

Dan and Daniell... you will be missed.

Action shots...also self explanatory...

Captions please! I think it would be better to open up this opportunity to the 51 crew. Ready...go!

Archaeologists Are Easily Entertained

Exhibit A:

You would think that perhaps something really important is going on here.  But no.  Those of Grid 51 did not drop their tools to gather around some interesting find, but rather rushed in excitement to witness a swarm of ants attacking a worm.

Exhibit B:

This is what I call post-"Second Breakfast" singing time.  Almost always after our meal at 9:00 (and more so towards the end of our day in the field), a few of the boys begin to serenade other members of the grid.  Disney songs are the favorite, and what you see here is a tune from the Jungle Book being sung during a group effort in emptying "goufas" that filled with dirt.  Note: usually one person carries two goufas at a time, but creativity (not necessarily efficiency) abounds at Grid 51.  

Exhibit C:

Self-explanatory.

The Newest of the Dynamic Duos

When two people who possess reserves of uncommon skill, valor, conviction, knowledge, wisdom, or a myriad of other admirable traits or attributes, team together they give birth to what some might call a "Dynamic Duo."  History has provided us with some of the most legendary and prolific of Dynamic Duos:

Abbot and Costello

Laurel and Hardy

Lennon and McCartney

Barbie and Ken

Salt-N-Pepa

Those who have worked in Grid 51 will know that another Duo has been produced.  Today I officially acknowledge and present these two people who will no doubt soar to the starry heights of fame and live and feast in the realm that few are worthy enough to dwell.  Ladies and Gentlemen: Kate Birney and Elise Jakoby

These two greats have been the shepherds of us lost sheep in Grid 51.  They instruct, impart knowledge and wisdom, excavate, protect, and give life to us in the grid.  There is nothing they cannot accomplish, no foe they cannot vanquish, nor is there a floor they cannot sweep.  With the ability to spot a mudbrick wall from a mile away even on a foggy day and place pottery accurately within its appropriate time period within the blink of a

n eye, the term "insanely awesome" is given new meaning.

Kate Birney, Grid Supervisor.  I hesitate to try and sum Kate up in one word because she is an incredibly multifaceted, layered, and complex individual, but nothing

 is more appropriate than this: Ninja

Seriously, she is a ninja.  She is a third degree black belt in Karate, works out at the wonderful Dan Gardens hotel on dig days, and she does not take fruit breaks.  She is a stone faced killer with a heart of  kindness.  It is safe to say we would be wandering the moors without her constant and meticulous supervision.

Elise Jakoby, Square Supervisor.  There is much speculation among the grid as to what exactly Elise is.  The best guess right now is a robot.  But an awesome robot.  Not like the kind that steals old people's medicine because that's mean, but the kind that are just all around badass.  

or maybe even:

Elise has been quoted saying she does not like to smile and maintains a cool, calm, and collected demeanor at all times.  One can only speculate as to the whirlwind of emotion constantly swirling around inside her at all times.  Or is there one?  Elise: a skilled leader, a kind soul (as much as I joke), and all around BAMF.  A necessity for the functioning of Grid 51.

Together Kate and Elise are an unstoppable force.  Together they will move mountatins.  Mountains of dirt off the hidden structures and artifacts of ancient Ashkelon.

Well this sucks!

I have to agree with Brandon. Archaeology has yet to live up to my high expectations. First of all, I haven't found anything that comes even close to resembling a golden idol, glowing skull, or magical orb.

AND, I would like to ask, "Where the hell are all the Nazis?"
I came prepared. I brought all the requisite tools an archaeologist might need in the field: cool hat, leather messenger bag, 9mm with plenty of ammo to strap in the tactical holster around my thigh. I even brought my whip! I have yet to use my whip! It is locked up, gathering dust, in a sad little heap at the bottom of my suitcase.

In all honesty, I am not asking for much. It doesn't have to be Nazis. I'd be content with a group of Chinese mafiosi bent on stealing my amazing finds or an international super-villain selling biological weapons to hostile nations. But, no orbs? No Illuminati? Nothing? With no arch-nemesis to battle? What the hell do archaeologists do all day?

Hezekiah's Tunnel - Worst place in Jerusalem, Israel, or the World?

I know many of my grid mates do not agree with my sentiments on this piece of ... History, but let me share the perspective of someone who is not under 5'5.

I understand the historical relevance and all of that but let me give you the tourist's experience.  You start out descending into a shaft that very kindly and deceivingly has pads on the low archways.  Walk about another 100 yards or so into the shaft until you reach the entrance point.

(Side story - There was a large group of old people in front of us, which would have made the trip incredibly worse, but our tour guide, Josh, got us by before entering the tunnel by giving them a quick 5-minute lecture in both Hebrew and English.  That was awesome.  Remember kids, knowledge is power).

Moving on, the tunnel itself is where the misery begins.  The trek through involves a water level that varies between mid-calf and mid-thigh the entire 530 meters.  The water itself is not that it just adds to the overall experience.  The worst part is that at times, and some particularly long stretches, the tunnel gets to be about a foot and a half wide and 5 feet high.  This doesn't seem that bad but when you are over 6' and this lasts for multiple minutes this begins to be a major pain in the neck, literally.  Brandon and Dan can both attest to this.  After about 25 minutes of crouched trudging, you finally reach the end of the tunnel.  

Nevertheless, the fun continues.  To get back to the top of the City of David, you have to climb a hill that couldn't have been any less than a 30 degree slope for about 5 minutes or so.  What a fun experience.  Alright, overall the trip was awesome.  Yad Vashem (Holocaust museum), the promenade, and Jerusalem in general were some great places.  I just needed to get that rant out and bury it.  Hopefully we'll start finding some cool stuff so this blog can turn happy.  

Day out in Jerusalem

Grid 51 Crew

Days 1-4

I cried yesterday.

I was filling a rubber bucket... which for some reason has to be called a "goofah" in order to sound like a legitimate archaeological tool... and I got a lump in my throat.  The reason this happened was that grid 51 destroyed my childhood dream of being an Archaeologist.  Ever since I watched Raiders of the Lost Ark I knew I wanted to be an archaeologist.  That all ended yesterday when I realized how much I disliked "cleaning" dust off of ancient floors.

So, a warning to those children at heart who want to follow your dreams:  DON'T.  Dreams are always better if you don't pursue them.  Stay where you're at, live your life, and try to be happy with what you've got.  There is nothing more devastating than learning that your childhood dreams are actually nightmares.