Dig - Day II

4:30 a.m. came WAY too early today, but the birds are up and a nice breeze is blowing in from the Sea of Galilee, across the street form the hotel and the dig. I again mostly sifted and emptied buckets of dirt into a wheelbarrow. But I also got to handle coins including a quarter - a 1/4 piece of cut coin. In our square after much work - a lot by the Arab Israeli hired help - we discovered a buried cornice with Roman-era decor. It's comparable to the thrill of the hunt! Had an interesting conversation with a Greek Orthodox theology student - their New Testament is not translated... Also got a tour of the lay-out of our excavation - which is probably a mosque/ on top of one of the 16 synagogues that were one time in Tiberias. When Rome expelled the Jews from Jerusalem @ 110 AD, the Sanhedrin met here - and the city was about 40,000 (same as today). Okay - enough of that - It's just that I visited one of the synagogue ruins this afternoon with a great mosaic floor, featuring a zodiac with Hebrew labels with a Greek deity in the center - is that crazy?
There have been tourists to the hot springs since before Joshua entered the Promised Land. It's why Herod Antiapas built Tiberius here in 20 AD. So in honor of that rich heritage, I spent a couple hours at the modern Hot Springs - two warm pools and one normal, overlooking the waterfront. In general, it was another world though I did hear one person speak English. Relaxing, humm, will sleep well tonight. I hope you do too!