Dan
June 1 – 26, 2026 (tentative)
other
The Site Where History and Legend Converge
Tel Dan is one of the most important sites in the ancient Near East, in general, and for biblical archaeology, in particular. Situated at the base of snow-capped Mount Hermon on the headwaters of the Jordan, Dan has been an important settlement from the Neolithic period (ca. 5,000 BCE) through the early modern period. Archaeological highlights include massive Early Bronze Age fortifications (ca. 2900-2200), the earliest preserved mudbrick arched gate in the world (ca. 1900-1500 BCE), a spectacular treasure-filled Mycenaean tomb from the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1500-1200 BCE), an early Iron Age I agrarian settlement that some associate with the Israelites (ca. 1200-1000 BCE), major fortifications and what is apparently an Israelite temple from the Iron Age II (ca. 1000-700 BCE), and various figurines, statues, and inscriptions from the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman periods. Perhaps the most famous find from Tel Dan is a stela, likely commissioned by Hazael of Aram sometime in the 9th century BCE, identifying a Judahite king from the “house of David” and thus providing the only extrabiblical reference to the famed King David from the Bible. This season we will return to Area T, the Sacred Precinct, the location of a large Iron Age II temple complex.
Details
Geographic Location
Golan, Northern Israel
Dates of the Dig
June 1 – 26, 2026 (tentative)
Minimum Stay
2 Weeks
Application Due
TBD
Academic Credit/Cost per Credit/Institution
Contact for more details
Accommodations
Contact for details
Cost
-
Tentative: $1350/two weeks and $2700/four weeks for room and board (not including weekends)
Directors
Yifat Thareani, Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, Jerusalem and NYU Tel Aviv.
Jonathan Greer, Grand Valley State University, USA.
Contact
Yifat Thareani
Jonathan Greer
972-2-6203257
To learn how you can get involved, visit their website.
In the free eBook, A Digger’s Life: A Guide to the Archaeology Dig Experience, step into an archaeological excavation and find out what it takes to find, prepare for, and work on a dig.
