Searchable Map of West Bank Archaeology and Sourcebook on Israeli Archaeology in the West Bank 1967–2007
For the first time, a searchable map recording archaeological sites in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) is available on the web. The map also has a Google Maps interface. See http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/wbarc/
The map is a product of a collaboration between the University of Southern California’s Digital Library and the West Bank Archaeological Database Project headed by Rafi Greenberg and Adi Keinan. The accompanying Sourcebook, available from Emek Shaveh in print or as a CD, provides the first unified source of information on surveys and excavations conducted under Israeli license in from 1967 to 2007. It encompasses nearly 6000 archaeological features, 1600 excavations, and 1000 referenced publications. Prepared under the auspices of the Israeli-Palestinian Archaeology Working Group, it is an important source of information on the cultural inventory of ancient Israel/Palestine and a contribution to the ongoing project of recording and mapping the deep history of the Near East.
One of the main aims of the database is to offer a summary of archaeological activity for negotiators, planners and decision makers on all sides who are in a position to influence the fate of archaeological resources in a final status agreement. In the event of implementation of such an agreement, the database can be of use in planning for the preservation and protection of sites, as well as for research and development in the future Palestinian state.
Search based on archaeological layers: click here
Search based on site names: click here
Information about the book: Israeli Archaeological Activity in the West Bank, 1967-2007: A Sourcebook: http://crcc.usc.edu/initiatives/shi/resources.html
Download
You can download the low-res sourcebook here.
Download the accompanying Archaeological Data Files (November 2010 update): click here.
Download the accompanying Bibliography (November 2010 update): click here.
This project recently won the Open Archaeology award of the American Schools of Oriental Research (http://ancientworldonline.blogspot.com/2009/11/asor-open-archaeology-prize-2009.html).
Raphael Greenberg, Ph.D. (Hebrew University), is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University.
Adi Keinan, M.A. (Tel Aviv University), is a Ph.D. candidate in Cultural Heritage studies at the Institute of Archaeology, University College, London.
