The Tel Burna Excavation Project's academic program consists of the following components:

• the field school, consisting of the excavation work and the processing of finds

• evening lecture program

• field trips and weekend tours

While anyone enrolled in the academic program are required to participate in all three of these components, those not enrolled are also welcome and encouraged to attend all of these activities.

Field School

The field school is the core of the academic program. Five days a week, students will participate in the excavations, learning excavation methods, techniques, strategy, the recording system, and the removal and conservation of material culture. The field school is designed specifically as a "teaching dig", meaning we will meet you wherever you are at, even if you have zero experience or knowledge, and teach you everything you need to know. As a teaching dig, the field school is designed so that everyone is put in small groups under a supervisor, who will teach each person everything necessary and be there every day to answer any questions. 

In the afternoons and evenings, students will participate in the processing of finds. This will definitely include pottery washing and marking, but can also include the processing of other material culture, learning end-of-day and end-of-season paperwork, and much more! Also, students are encouraged to attend pottery reading when their area is being read so that they can learn how archaeologists identify pottery.

Lecture Program

Generally, there will be a lecture every evening, Tuesday through Thursday (see the Daily Schedule under the Life on a Dig section). These lectures are designed to cover basic information from three main areas: the History and Archaeology of Ancient Israel, the Geography of the Southern Levant, and Archaeological Method and Theory. These lectures will be given by the senior staff at Burna, as well as from other local top scholars. The lecture program also often includes several lectures on special topics from experts in that field.

Lecture schedule (changes are possible):

Wednesday, June 26 Joe Uziel 

Sunday, June 30 Norma Franklin 

Tuesday, July 2 The Bible and Its World Conference 

Thursday, July 4 Yoav Vaknin 

Sunday, July 7 Asaf Gayer 

Field Trips and Weekend Tours

The project usually schedules a field trip once a week to nearby sites in the Shephelah (of foothills) of Israel. These field trips will generally be on Monday afternoons, but the time may shift as necessary. Some of the sites that are possible to visit are Gezer, Lachish, Khirbet Qeiyafa, Azekah, Tell es-Safi/Gath, Beth Shemesh, Beit Guvrin, Socoh, and much more!

Weekend tours are an extra cost and are only required for one of the courses, ARCH 4113/5703. However, due to the shortened season this year, we will not be offering this option as usual. For more information, see the Weekend Tours page.

Offered Courses

The Lanier Center for Archaeology offers two classes for credit through Lipscomb University (see the section below) during the course of the excavation project. There are two versions offered for each class, one for undergraduates and one for graduate students.

Archaeological Field Excavation Methods: Israel (ARCH4013 Section 01 for Undergraduates and ARCH5303 Section 01 for graduate students)

Credit hours: 3

Faculty: Dr. Steve Ortiz from the Lanier Center for Archaeology and senior staff from the Tel Burna Excavation Project

Catalog Description: Participation in a major archaeological excavation in Israel provides opportunity for the observation and practice of techniques in field archaeology. During the excavation process, the student observes and particpates in methods of excavation, recording, decipherment, classification, cataloguing, and preservation of various finds. Lectures and field trips led by the archaeological staff provide for a comprehensive field experience.

See the attached syllabi for more information. 

Special Topics: History, Archaeology, and Geography of Ancient Israel (ARCH4113 Section 01 for undergraduates and ARCH5703 Section 01 for graduate students)

Credit Hours: 3

Faculty: Dr. Steve Ortiz of the Lanier Center for Archaeology, the senior staff of the Tel Burna Excavation Project, and experienced tour guides

Catalog Description: This course will acquaint students with the history and geography of ancient Israel and early Judaism as it is known from biblical texts, ancient historical sources, early Jewish writings, and archaeological finds; and will expose students to the way history was written in the ancient world. This will be accomplished through reading and comparison of historical sources and several study tours throughout the land of ancient Israel. To register for this class, you are required to particpate in the weekend tours (see Weekend Tours for more information).

See the attached syllabi for more information.

Academic Credit and Tuition

The Tel Burna Excavation Project  offers academic credit through Lipscomb University (located in Nashville, TN) or Ariel University (an Israeli university). The information below pertains only to getting credit through Lipscomb. If you are interested in getting credit through Ariel University, please contact Dr. Itzick Shai of Ariel University at shai.itzick@gmail.com.

As listed in the above section, you are able to take 3 or 6 hours of credit, on either the undergraduate or graduate level. 

How to Sign Up for Credit

• If you are interested in getting academic credit, you should first contact the Lanier Center's Educational Coordinator, Ms. Marcella Barbosa at mbarbosa@lipscomb.edu, as she will help you through the process. 

• If you are already a Lipscomb student, you will just register for the summer course like you would any other normal course.

• If you are not a Lipscomb student, you will first have to apply to Lipscomb as a Non-Degree-Seeking/Visiting Student. This application process differs between undergraduate and graduate students; but Ms. Barboss will provide each student with specific instructions. One the application is completed, the Department of Archaeology will push the application through the process quickly. Once you are officially accepted, you will be able to register for the course (instructions will be provided) and pay your tuition.

Tuition

• Undergraduate tuition will be whatever the tuition is for the summer of that year. In the summer of 2022, tuition was $1492/credit hour, so you can expect a similar amount.

• Graduate tuition is $950/credit hour.

• Generally speaking, financial aid, such as student loans, can be used for the tuition costs of the classes associated with our project; but check with your Financial Aid office to confirm.

• There are no scholarships available specifically for this project, but you can apply for general excavation scholarships and use them for your tuition. These general scholarships are available from ASOR here and BAS here.