Project Co-Directors: Dr. Itzick Shai and Dr. Steven Ortiz

The excavations areas from the IAA Excavations under Moshe Dothan that took place 1962-1972.

Timeline of the Project

Spring 2025: Ariel University and the LCA worked together in a short, exploratory season of the site. The goals of this season were to explore future excavation opportunities at the site, collaborate with the National Parks Authority, and work on clearing the Iron Age city gate to help the National Parks Authority prepare the site as a national park.

Summer 2026: The Ashdod Project is planning a "soft launch" of the project.

Summer 2027: The estimated date of the official major launch of the Ashdod Project.

This project is a "teaching dig". meaning that anyone and everyone is welcome, no experience or classes needed as the staff will teach you all you need to know. If you are interested in joining us, please visit the Join Us page!

Excavation Areas

Coming soon!

Research Goals

1. The study of coastal sites and the interaction between different cultures that takes place there.

2. The study of Philistine culture.

3. To further explore and reassess the work of the IAA excavations under Moshe Dothan.

4. Community archaeology: in pursuit of reconnecting archaeology to the interest of the broader public, the project will continue to run an open excavation that anyone is welcome to join for as long as they like. In addition, the project continues to work toward the preservation and reconstruction of features that will make the site more understandable and interesting to the public

(The research goals are still being considered and will be confirmed by the official start of the project in the summer of 2027.)

Staff and Consortium Schools

Co-directors: Dr. Itzick Shai, Ariel University and Dr. Steve Ortiz, Lanier Center for Archaeology at Lipscomb University

Area Supervisors:

• Marcella Barbosa Rigsby, Ph.D. Candidate

• Dr. Debi Cassuto

Specialists:

• Dr. Haskel Greenfield

• Dr. Tina Greenfield

• Leah Tramer, pottery restorer

Consortium Schools:

• Ariel University

• Lanier Center for Archaeology at Lipscomb University

• If you are interested in becoming a consortium school, please contact us at archaeology@lipscomb.edu

Goals for the 2026 Season

1. Re-excavation and conservation of the Bronze Age and Iron Age city gates to help prepare the site as a national park in conjunction with the National Parks Authority.

2. Reassess the previous excavation results from the city gates and further explore the surrounding areas.

3. Explore future excavation areas at the site.

If you would like to help us reach our goals this season, visit our Join Us page!