Approximately 75 people joined in person and via Zoom to hear Jill Citron Katz, PhD, Yeshiva University clinical professor of archaeology speak at Congregation Etz Ahaim on Saturday evening, February 22 for the Jewish Community Forum of Raritan Valley’s (JCFRV) final presentation of the season. Katz has been teaching archaeology, anthropology, and Jewish history at YU since 2003 and also serves as chair of the sociology department and an academic adviser. Her research focuses on biblical peoples (Canaanites, Israelites and Philistines) and their interactions, and she is the author of “The Archeology of Cult in Middle Bronze Age Canaan.”
The evening began with a welcome by JCFRV Co-Chair Mark Abraham and an introduction by Rebecca Cypess, PhD, community member and dean of YU’s Yeshiva College and Stern College for Women. The presentation, “An Archaeologist Reevaluates Destruction in Light of October 7,” began with an introduction of various archeological terms and descriptions of techniques that are used in the field. With a specialty in biblical archaeology, Katz described some of the work she has done at various sites in Israel, including Ashkelon, Gerar, Gath and Jerusalem.
Understanding that few, if any, audience members would grasp the nuances and tenets of archeology and how they were used, Katz brought the audience along on a descriptive PowerPoint presentation and ‘tour.’ Audience members learned how stratigraphy (the study of rock layers differentiated by color and texture) can be used to identify different layers of excavated areas, and how superposition can be used to date soil layers according to their relative position to each other. Katz added a humorous story about one site being rife with scorpions. To keep the volunteers alert to the dangers, she offered to buy ice cream for every 25 scorpions found. While this made the volunteers very aware, it also provided a significant revenue to local ice cream purveyors.
Archaeology has not changed significantly over the last 100 years or so. Prior to that, archaeologists were primarily looking for “goodies”: Find the treasures by moving a lot of dirt quickly, and leave the site. Now work is done much more slowly; dirt is sifted to find even small seeds, bones and pottery fragments that can say much about how the people lived. Soil in destruction layers is usually less dense and contains more debris and residue of people’s lives than layers where people just abandoned a location and moved away.
Archeologists love destruction layers with their higher probability of finding significant items. “Ceramics are the number one find, and many items are well preserved,” Katz said. “Structural remains provide clues as to how people lived, and finding valuables hidden by their owners is not unusual.” Residents would hide or bury valuables that they were unable to flee with and either were unable to return for them or destruction was so thorough that they could not find the hiding places.
Lachish, a significant city in Israel in biblical times, is the site of two significant archaeological destruction layers. Destroyed by the Assyrians in 701 BCE, the rebuilt city was destroyed again by the Babylonians in 588/6 BCE. Stories of the destruction can be found in biblical writings, in the accounts of Babylonian General Sanheriv, and in the reliefs that decorated the throne room in Nineveh (that are now in the British Museum). Using the paradigms of destruction and the dating capabilities, the stories of 2,700 years ago can be put together with high degrees of accuracy.
Groups of archaeologists and biblical scholars from YU and other institutions went on a mission to Israel in January 2024 to show support to academic colleagues. Meeting with archaeologists from Israel’s Antiquities Authority on a visit to Kfar Aza, they learned how basic archaeological techniques had been employed in the aftermath of October 7, 2023. There was a great deal of uncertainty at the time with unknown numbers of people listed as missing while having been abducted to Gaza or killed. Fires burned cars and homes at high temperatures and incinerated most opportunities for identification. The archaeologists were called in to use the tools of their trade to help identify remains. While it eliminated the uncertainty for some families and allowed for proper burial, it was difficult to acknowledge the loss of loved ones and not be able to answer for the missing. Most of the work has been completed, “but many who worked on the project suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result. Their emotions had banked, but came back to the forefront again last week” after the return of the coffins of several hostages. “It has led me to reconsider how I felt about the destruction layers,” said Katz. The work done on materials from 2,500 years ago has been impacted based on what was seen. There is more awareness and a less-cavalier attitude about destruction.
Saul and Georgie London of Highland Park were intrigued by the presentation. “I was impressed with how Dr. Katz made the field of archaeology relatable and relevant to us,” noted Saul. “It really makes me want to try archaeology and visit a dig site in Israel,” added Georgie. Edison’s Cheryl Amdur found the relationship between the Bible’s account and other historical accounts of the events in Lachish fascinating, and was glad she attended. Justin Hornstein, of Highland Park, added that while he has always been interested in archaeology, the topic is particularly pertinent now.
The JCFRV is a grassroots organization and relies on community donations to fund their programs. They are beginning the process of planning speakers for the 2025-2026 season. To get involved or for more information go to www.orthodoxjewishforum.org
Deborah Melman is a staff writer at The Jewish Link.
