Tel Achzib (“Tel of Deception”)
Dr. Dale W. Manor, professor of Bible and archaeology, constructed a dig site in Searcy for the sole purpose of allowing students in this course to practice archaeology without the expense of traveling across the world. The name of the site translates to “Tel of Deception,” because it is an artificially constructed site. There is also a site called Achzib in the Bible where Micah makes a pun about its name (Micah 1:14).
The site is designed to teach the basics of archaeological theory and method while simultaneously learning about daily life in the Old Testament period. The course, in which students gain experience in excavation strategy and how to think archaeologically, also provides hands-on experience outside the classroom.
The site was designed and built by Dr. Manor with the help of numerous others to represent the layers and depth of a real dig site. It “preserves” four strata modeled after the Near East, replicating sites and features of various remains from ancient Israel, Jordan and the West Bank.
Throughout the course, students learn the basics of excavating and evaluating their finds. In addition, finds are discussed within the matrix of the biblical narrative of ancient life in Israel and surrounding countries. Depending on the finds of the season, the course follows the trends and finds about fortifications, daily life, houses, cooking areas, stables, worship strategies, burials, bones, seeds, jewelry, weapons and the like, which are all typical things to find on an excavation from the ancient biblical world.
Tel Achzib was featured in an eight-page spread in the January/February 2019 issue of the “Biblical Archaeology Review” with an article written by Dr. Manor.
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