Day 8, June 17

Day 8, Sunday June 17:

Today I tried to go back to the dig site rather unsuccessfully.  I spent the morning cleaning up some areas of the dig site, but getting around within the site was really difficult.  After breakfast, I went and worked at the pottery compound. There are lots of pieces of metal that are unidentifiable or not worth keeping so I spent the morning measuring them and writing descriptions on the tags.  I found out that you can tell the difference between nails and pins.  Nails used to be square, so if you break a metal shaft and its square inside, it is likely to be a nail.  Pins have circular cores.  I measured them and wrote it all down, and then discarded the metal. 

After I left the dig site, my ankle looked more swollen… so I finally agreed to go to the hospital.  Oh, Barzalai.  Turns out it is thankfully not broken, but it is sprained really badly.  They told me that I can’t walk on it for three days and have to keep it elevated and keep it iced.  Not easy to do outdoors in Israel.  Cest la vie.  I just hope it gets better so that I can get back to digging.  It’s all I want to do!  3 days…

In the meantime, Dan gave us a really interesting lecture on Ashkelon and one of the reasons that it was such an important city for so long.  Ashkelon lays in between two of the biggest trade centers, which run between two massive trade routes.  Egypt and northern Africa and Mesopotamia.  The trade routes run from North to South, and another running from East to West.  Because of the geography of the region, there are only certain routes that can be easily traveled.  Controlling the easiest means of access to the region is very strategically important for many reasons.  Ashkelon also had the advantage of having freshwater, which allowed for people to settle here, even though it is close to the sea.  Therefore, the port here was very important for trade and because of the easy access from the trade routes on land. 

Power is an important motivator for the people of the Ancient Near East (and who are we kidding, for all of history… not just people of the Ancient Near East, people across the world).  Whichever power controlled the trade routes from Mesopotamia also wanted to control the trade routes in Egypt.  Whoever controlled the trade routes in Egypt also wanted to control Mesopotamia.  Ashkelon lays right in the middle of these two ancient world powers.  So, from North to South, Ashkelon is very important strategically.  In addition, looking at the topography of Israel, there are only so many places that a trading carvan or group can cross to reach the shores of the Mediterranean and these two super powers.  Trade routes from Asia cut across what is now Israel, trying to reach the Mediterranean or the easier trade route from Egypt to Mesopotamia.  Again, Ashkelons location is critical in understanding its history. 

Ashkelon was conquered many times over as both northern and southern powers tried to get a foothold in the region.  It is right in the heart of massive trade routes that supplied the entire Near East and coasts of the Mediterranean.  And, he who controls the trade routes and ports, also helps control the prices.  Whoever sets the prices has a higher likelihood of getting rich.  Therefore, there are many reasons that Ashkelon was inhabited for as long as it was, and has the history that it does.

Hey, and lets not forget the beautiful beaches…