The Staff & Volunteers of The University of South Florida Excavations at Sepphoris, Israel Report of the Excavations: May 11 - July 14, 2000 by James F. Strange, Thomas R. W. Longstaff and Dennis E. Groh Hypertext version prepared by Thomas R. W. Longstaff [© 2001 ] [Last modified on July 11, 2001] Note: The University of Florida began excavations at Sepphoris, Israel in the summer of 1983. Beginning in 1985 excavations at this site were also conducted by Duke University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. For a complete overview of the excavation of this site, the interested reader should consult the reports of each excavation project. The University of South Florida Excavations at Sepphoris undertook the 2000 season of excavations from May 8 - July 8, 2000. The project is directed by Professor James F. Strange of the University of South Florida. Associate Directors are Professor Dennis E. Groh of Illinois Wesleyan University and Professor Thomas R.W. Longstaff of Colby College. Professor. Longstaff also served as dig photographer. Assistant Director and Field Archaeologist is Professor C. Thomas McCollough of Centre College. Rod Tanner served as Architect assisted by Glen Downing and Virginia Skeeter. Other staff included Professor Arlene Fradkin of Florida Atlantic University, Zooarcheologist, Mary Lynn Jones of Houston, TX, Registrar, Joan Keller, M.A., of Safety Harbor, FL, Glass Historian and Glass Registrar, Ron Levy of Tampa, FL, Surveyor, Carolyn Strange of Tampa, FL, General Manager and Barbara Pilcher of Tampa, FL, Administrative Assistant. During two sessions excavation continued in Field V, the monumental located at the intersection of what are taken to be the cardo and decumanus of the lower city. A brief account of the 2000 season may be found in the fall issue of the Sepphoris newsletter. For that document, in pdf format (which requires Adobe's Acrobat Reader) click this link: The First Session: May 8 - June 2, 2000 Logistical problems delayed the start of work until May 17 and, therefore, limited what might have been accomplished in the first session. Nevertheless, significant progress was made toward our understanding of this building and its history. Square 04: Joanna Strange, Area Supervisor. This square, partially excavated in 1989 was reopened so that we might better understand the structure and phasing in the northwest quadrant of this building. After removing modern fill from the west half of the square, stratigraphic excavation of the east side began. We wished to expose again the small portion of the northern wall of the building and the remains of the adjacent street which appear in this square. Unfortunately, only foundations of the wall survive here. Evidence of disturbance of the wall in the Byzantine period and, more substantially, in the modern period was evident. Square 43: Sam Wood, Area Supervisor. This square was reopened to continue work begun in 1993 and to reveal the phases of the building which have been exposed elsewhere throughout the field. The goal is to provide a broad view of the building so that the structure and its history can be readily understood by those who visit or study this site. A drain from an early phase of the building was revealed. After this drain had gone out of use it was filled with stones and earth to provide a foundation for the mosaic floor laid above it. The foundation of the mosaic has been badly disturbed in this area, a circumstance that allows us to explore the earlier phases below without disrupting the mosaic where it remains unbroken. The complex relationship of the several drains found in this area and their relationship to the nearby cistern must be understood in the context of the larger phasing of this building. Square 48: Tammy Harman, Area Supervisor. This square is located south of V25, east of V47, west of the unexcavated V107, and north of V90. The square was opened to investigate the continuation of the pool found in squares V47, V11, and V25 and to determine whether evidence of the eastern wall of the basilica survives at this location. Portions of the pool were uncovered, with fill suggesting subsequent use after this feature had gone out of use as a pool or cistern. Portions of a basalt pestle and a large, circular installation were uncovered but could not be interpreted in context. Excavation of this square continued in the second session under the direction of Lora Sorkin (see the report below). Square 78: Constance Groh, Ph.D., Area Supervisor. This square, originally excavated in 1998, was reopened for the removal of the north and east balks. The removal of these balks will enable one to see a greater extent of the building in phase. Major features already exposed in this square include the east closing wall of the basilica and a cistern connected to the larger cistern with a vaulted roof that provided a foundation for the floor of the basilica above, found in Square V. 121 in 1999. Both cisterns were built as part of the original construction of the building and remained in use from Early Roman period until the building was destroyed in the mid-fourth century. The closing wall, too, was founded in the Early Roman period. It shows signs of repair and reuse in the Byzantine period when it was incorporated into other structures. The latest activity in this area seems to have been a brick making operation, dated to the Early Arab period when the area once occupied by the basilica had been radically reconfigured to include glass manufacturing shops and a bath complex. Square 126: James R. Strange, Area Supervisor. Square 127: Barbara Pilcher, Area Supervisor. This square, originally opened in 1999, was reopened to complete the excavation interrupted at the end of the previous season. Beneath fill materials from the later (Byzanantine and Arab) periods, portions of the foundation of northerly side of the basilica were exposed. Traces of an adjacent street and of an entrance, probably to a chamber beneath the main floor of the building, were discovered. These must be related to portions of the street exposed in other squares and to the overall design of the basilica itself. Excavation of this square continued into the second session (see the further report below). The Second Session: June 12 - July 7, 2000 Note: This is a report in progresss. It will be updated at regular intervals until it is completed. Square 40: Sharon Sammons, Area Supervisor. Square 48: Lora Sorkin, Area Supervisor. Excavation of this square began in May under the supervision of Tammy Harman; the second session of excavation continued in June and July under Lora Sorkin's direction. Although the majority of the stratigraphy of V48 was classified as Byzantine, the major phase is Early Roman. The plaster floor found throughout the square is Early Roman, as are the wall foundations. Two walls built in the Early Roman period appear to have intersected just inside the north balk of this square. A pool structure of the Early Roman building phase was found in the North West corner of the square, as well as a support wall. Still needing more excavation is a small robbers trench found at the southern end of the wall. This square contains traces of a glass production facility. The evidence of the glass production waste suggests that the installation was probably in operation for a long period of time. There is evidence of a glass furnace to the north as well as a strong indication of wooden furniture having been in this square. A stone vessel, believed to have been used in association with both the lower Early Roman floor and the upper Byzantine floor, was found in the southeast corner of the square. Square 54: Joshua Marks, Area Supervisor. Square 83: Kristel Clayville, Area Supervisor. Square 111: Michael Friends, Area Supervisor. Square 122: John Hoskin, Area Supervisor. Square 125: Joanna Strange, Area Supervisor. Square 126: Michael Friends, Area Supervisor. Square 127: Barbara Pilcher, Area Supervisor. Square 128: Barbara Pilcher, Area Supervisor Square 08, North Balk Removal, Virginia Skeeter, Supervisor. Square 09, North Balk Removal, Virginia Skeeter, Supervisor. Square 20, North Balk Removal, Joshua Davis, Supervisor. Square 21, East Balk Removal, Joshua Davis, Supervisor. Square 25, North Balk Removal, Carrie Lear, Supervisor. Square 38, North Balk Removal, Kerry Rhoads, Supervisor. Square 44, East Balk Removal, Pamela Mullins, Supervisor. Square 45, East Balk Removal, Joshua Davis, Supervisor. Square 115, North Balk Removal, Pamela Mullins, Supervisor. Square 121, East Balk Removal, Kerry Rhoads, Supervisor. Square 124, North Balk Removal, Justin Winger, Supervisor. Square 47, North Balk Removal, Pamela Mullins, Supervisor.   Project Report: May - June 2001 No excavations were undertaken in 2001. Instead, Professors Strange, Longstaff and Groh, assisted by Dr. Constance Groh, Joan Keller, Carolyn Strange, Mary Lynn Jones, Virginia Skeeter, Michael Friends, Victoria Deyeaux and Sheila Bishop gathered at Kibbutz Hasolelim to organize and examine the pottery and artifacts from Field I and to draft the first chapters of Volume I of the report of the University of South Florida's Excavations at Sepphoris. It appears unlikely that we will excavate in 2003 although those interested in joining our project should contact the Directors for up-to-date information about plans and possibilities. Submitted by James F. Strange, Thomas R.W. Longstaff and Dennis E. Groh.   Return to the Archaeology Web Page