We started the morning like we always do with the way too early morning walk to the dig but today we were actually excavating the site instead of just cleaning. I was shiving which reminded me of mining for gold but with dust instead of water. Basically I was sorting through alot of gravel for anything interesting. We found alot of broken pottery, a piece of roman glass and a jaw bone with teeth in it. It was probably an animal but it was still really cool! And we got to go home early!
The afternoon was lazy because we went on a tour in the evening. The tour was to Akeldama and the Hinom Valley to look at 1st century tombs. Akeldama was the place that Judas hung himself after betraying Jesus.
The hike to the tombs was tough but very beautiful. We saw many tombs that had been destroyed and robbed on the way to where we were headed. Dr. Tabor, the man leading our trip, discovered a tomb in this valley that contained the only 1st century burial shroud. (1st century means time of Jesus!) So naturally that's where we were headed.
This is the entrance to the Tomb of the Shroud.
Yes. It is as tiny as it looks. So what is the natural thing to do here?
Go inside.
Yep I went inside a tomb from the time of Jesus. The space was only small enough to wiggle my body through into the next space. Which was also tiny. It was a 10 feet long and 5 feet wide. And filled with rocks and bones so needless to say it was very creepy. But it got creepier...
There was a second even smaller tunnel sloping down farther into the tomb. This opening was really only enough to slide. Apparently there was a huge spider in there but I didn't see it thankfully. Once in the lower level, there were all kinds of carved out areas where bodies were laid including the area where the shroud was find. This was uber creepy.
Me inside the tomb with crazy eyes because I was so freaked out and afraid of getting stuck in there...
Getting out of the tomb was quite the challenge but I made it out and can say that I went inside a tomb!
It's all very hard to explain unless you were able to see it but it was an incredible experience. I don't really have the desire to ever go that deep in a tomb again but I'm very glad I did it. It's one of those things that touches your life because only a handful of people have ever done this and will ever go in that tomb.
We had a wonderful dinner and walk back through the city at night. Jerusalem is a magical place at night. I had an amazing day but I know I'll be exhausted when 430am rolls around! Mamalushka!
Mamalushka: oh well/it happens
In Arabic
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