Seger, Joe D.

Seger, Joe D.
Publisher: Eisenbrauns, Inc.
1996

Presented as a festschrift to honor Gus Van Beek, this collection of essays explores various facets of the Middle Eastern archaeological record with special attention to the contemporary research methods used for the retrieval, analysis, and interpretation of archaeological data.

Retrieving the Past embraces the full spectrum of those scholarly interests in Near Eastern archaeology to which Gus Van Beek has dedicated his career. The volume appropriately includes a bibliography of his professional writings and a brief biography written by Ora Van Beek. In addition, a glimpse into the world of his interpersonal contacts with advisees and colleagues in provided in a review of correspondence with his friend Joseph A. Callaway, written by Jerry Mattingly. The volume offers an excellent set of studies on pioneering aspects of Near Eastern archaeological research. As archaeological collaborators, associates and admirers, the contributors dedicate Retrieving the Past to Gus Van Beek as a fitting tribute to his life and work.

Seger, Joe D.
Publisher: Ben Zvi Ltd., Jerusalem
1989
ISBN: 0878203052

The publication of Gezer V: The Field I Caves, continues the series of reports on the Hebrew Union College-Harvard Semitic Museum Excavations at Gezer between 1964 and 1974 which are being presented in the Annuals of the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology in Jerusalem. The preceding volume, Gezer IV: The 1969-71 Seasons in Field VI, the "Acropolis ", appeared in 1986. The present volume completes the discussion of materials from the projects's major sounding in Field I otherwise presented in Gezer I (1970) and GezerII (1974). Excavation work in the bedrock caves in Field I was directed by Dr. Joe D. Seger between 1969 and 1971. In 1969-1970 he served as Acting Archaeological Director of the Nelson Glueck School in the place of W.G. Dever, who was on home leave at the school in Cincinnati. In 1971 Dr. Seger succeeded Dr. Dever as Archaeological Director and Associate Professor of Archaeology at the Jerusalem School, a post which he held until 1974.

The discovery of Early Bronze I period remains in Cave I.3A in the fall of 1969 and of the rich Late Bronze tomb deposits in Cave I.1OA in the spring of 1970 represents special chapters in the history of the modern Gezer excavation work. The first provided new evidence to connect with the earliest "Troglodyte" settlement at Gezer before 3000 B.C., and the second helped to fill a gap in the mid-second millennium B.C. stratigraphic history of the site. The recovery of the impressive Late Bronze age burial materials from Cave I.1OA inspired a special exhibit, "Tomb Offerings from Gezer," at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem in 1972.

Like other volumes in the series, Gezer V provides thorough and detailed studies of the stratigraphy and of the ceramic chronology of the excavated remains. At the same time the more limited scope of the cave deposits along with the rich harvest of related artifact finds have invited a more comprehensive treatment of the objects and other material culture samples. The volume thus includes a fairly exhaustive series of special studies by Dr. Seger and other experts and specialists, along with introductory statements which serve to integrate and summarize the cultural and historical implications of the data. In this respect it has the distinction of serving as a model of the "complete" archaeological report.

Seger, Joe D.
Publisher: Keter Press, Jerusalem
1986
ISBN: 0878203044

This report, Volume IV of the series of publications of the Harvard Semitic Museum-Hebrew Union College Excavations at Gezer, covers that part of the work that concentrated on Field VI during the ftfth-seventh seasons in 1961-71, the final seasons of "Phase I."

The 1969 season consisted of a brief pre-season campaign in April, designed to lay out Field VI and to open several squares, together with the major concentration of the total workforce of 125 in Field VI during June 22-August 1. The Director was William G. Dever, then Archaeological Director of the HUCBASJ (renamed the "Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology in Jerusalem" in 1972); H. Darrell Lance of Colgate Rochester Divinity School (now Colgate-Bexley Hall-Crozier Theological Seminary) was Associate Director. President Nelson Glueck of the HUCJIR and Professor G. Ernest Wright of Harvard University served as Advisors, as they had from the beginning of the Gezer project in 1964. The 100 or so volunteers who again made up the entire workforce and who characterized the now well-known "Gezer Field School" were recruited by the student volunteer office, efficiently overseen by Associate Director H. Darrell Lance at Colgate Rochester Divinity School. The Staff of 26 (Pl. 36B) included field archaeologists, as well as specialists in allied disciplines.3 The Senior or "core Staff" members were again Anita M. Furshpan (now Walker), of the University of Connecticut; John S. Holladay, Jr., of the University of Toronto; Joe D. Seger, now of the Cobb Archaeological Institute of Mississippi State university—all Field Directors; Reuben G. Bullard, of the University, of Cincinnati, Geologist; Robert B. Wright, of Temple University, Photographer (Core Staff member Norma E. Dever, Administrative Assistant, was on leave; Dan P. Cole was Field Director in Field II). Carole Bohn, now of Boston University, was Camp Manager; Hannah Scoggin, of St. Mary's College, was Pottery Registrar; and Judith labeler, of the Fogg Art Museum, was Objects Registrar. Cearbhall O'Meadhra and Gerald B. Lindell were Draftsmen; Theodore A. Rosen was Associate Photographer; and Drs. Frank J. Glassy and Melvin K. Lyons were Camp Physicians. Mr. Gad Granach, major domo of the Jerusalem school, oversaw a camp staff of seven as General Foreman.

The 1970 season in Field VI was confined to the summer, when it was the major focus of the sixth season, June 21-August 7. Dever and Lance again served as Director and Associate Director. The makeup and organization of the 33-person Core and Senior Staff were the same, except that Core Staff member Norma E. Dever managed the student volunteer office, which recruited some 100 student laborers, and returned as Camp Manager and Registrar; and Core Staff member Dan P. Cole, of Lake Forest College, began to move from Field II to Field VI. Physicians were Drs. Melvin K. Lyons and David Posen. A larger number than usual of scientific consultants was attached to the multidisciplinary Staff in 1970, among them Paleoenvironmentalist A. J. Legge, of the Cambridge University Early History of Agriculture Project, under the direction of E. S. Higgs; Geographer D. Webley, of the National Agricultural Advisory Service of Great Britain; Geographer C. Vita-Finzi, of University College, London; and A. Hesse, of the Centre National de la Recherche Francaise, who carried out an electrical resistivity survey. Draftsman was Gerald B. Lindell; Assistant Draftsman was Merete M. Rosen; Assistant Photographer was Wendy Shattill.

The final season of the "Phase I" Gezer excavations, in 1971, ran from June 20 through August 6, with 33 Core and Senior Staff (Pl. 64B) and approximately 1 10 student volunteers recruited by Lance.

Dever and Lance were again Director and Associate Director respectively. Core and Senior Staff remained the same except that Norma E. Dever was absent overseeing the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem. She was replaced as Camp Manager and Pottery Registrar by Mary Wright as Administrative Assistant and Phyllis Holladay as Pottery Registrar. Myrna Goldblatt was Objects Registrar; Draftsman was Gerald B. Lindell; Assistant Draftsman was Merete M. Rosen; Assistant Photographer was Wendy Shattil. David J. Finkel was Physical Anthropologist. Camp Physicians were David Posen and Benjamin Caplan. A. J. Legge, of the Cambridge University environmental research project (above), returned with a small team.

Seger, Joe D.
Publisher: Lahav Research Project, Omaha
1980

Each archaeological excavation functions through its own organizational patterns which are dependent on the peculiar circumstances of the given site, the availability of staff and field labor, and upon the methodology employed. The Hebrew Union College Gezer Excavations, begun in 1964, have now enjoyed the advantages of eight years of experience in the field. During this time its own particular type of field organization and methodology has had an opportunity to mature and be tested. This Handbook is the second attempt in the course of these exca-vations to provide a manual describing the methods and processes employed in the work at the site. The working guide for Phase I of the field work was provided by Associate Director H. D. Lance's Excavation Manual for Area Supervisors, issued in 1966. This document, in many ways, provided the basis for the present Handbook and is extensively quoted. Likewise, all of the credits given in this earlier work to members of the Drew-McCormick, Shechem Staff, and to others whose ideas and insights have been therein codified, are equally acknowledged here.

It is nonetheless true that the experience at Gezer over the past half decade has indicated the need for some changes and refinements in the field and recording operations. The outline of excavation procedures and field recording processes that follows has been designed to incorporate these needed re-finements, as well as to describe new procedures for use in Phase II of the Gezer field work, be-ginning with the 1972 season.

Unlike Lance's Manual this new Handbook is intended not only to instruct and assist Area Supervisors, but also to be more of an overall guide for all members of the Staff, and to enable each to see how his work and recording tasks relate to the other aspects of the field operations. In this respect it serves also as a kind of textbook for volunteers and others interested in understanding the Gezer recording system and methodology. It is, of course, true that at many points the materials presented here can only be fully understood as the processes involved are worked through in the field. For this no apology is required. The necessity of actual physical involvement with dirt and artifacts is inherent in development of archaeological sophistication and understanding. This Handbook is designed specif-ically to guide and elucidate the field operations at Gezer, rather than in any sense to substitute for the experience of working with them.

In presenting this new statement the writer wishes to fully acknowledge his indebtedness to all of the members of the Gezer Phase I Core Staff, in-cluding Director W. G. Dever, Associate Director Lance, Drs. Reuben G. Bullard, Dan P. Cole, Anita M. Furshpan, John S. Holladay, Jr., and Robert B. Wright, and Mrs. Norma Dever, with whom the substance of much of what is codified here has been lived in the past six summers. An additional note of credit is, of course, due to H. D. Lance, whose original Manual has until now provided a most useful guide for all of the Gezer work. For help in the mechanics of preparing this new text, the author also wishes to acknowledge the generous cooperation of the Gezer Publication Staff, including especially Mrs. Theodore Rosen, firs. Deborah Stern, and Mrs. Karen Seger. Their assistance in preparing the cartographic features and in typing and proofreading the manuscript, has been most instrumental in providing for its early completion. Responsibility for any limitations and omissions in this present work are, of course, my own.

Seger, Joe D.
Publisher: University of Nebraska-Omaha
1978

The materials in this workbook cover the broad sweep of western humanistic development from its most ancient roots within the cultures of the Egyptians and Mesopotamians through to its reawakening in the period of the Renaissance and Reformation. The outlines are prepared specifically as an accompaniment to the readings and lectures planned for the Humanities 101 course. In presenting these materials no pretense to completeness is suggested. They are not intended to serve as a substitute for either the lectures or for the readings which will be otherwise assigned. Rather they should serve as a vehicle for preparation and review, as an aid in the effort to integrate and understand the development of western culture and humanistic tradition, and as a stimulant for further thought and for discussion in the course section meetings.

Much of the material included in these outlines has been gleaned from presentations by lecturers in the Humanities 101 program through the past years. While the authors alone bear responsibility for what appears, our debt to these contributors is nonetheless real. At the same time the contribution of typist and proof editor, Beverly Butterfield, must likewise be acknowledged. Her skills and the attention she has given to the details of this project have greatly facilitated its completion.

Finally a word of appreciation also for the confidence and support of both Dean John Newton of the College of Arts and Sciences, and UNO Provost Herbert Garfinkel. Without their assistance in securing funds to staff the research and preparation of this workbook the project could not have been initiated.

Seger, Joe D.
Publisher: Jewish Community Center of Omaha
1978

This exhibit catalogue was presented at A Festival Of Biblical Art and Archaeology. The text, written by Dr. Joe D. Seger, accompanies the photographs of Susan Einstein and Patricia O'Conner.

Seger, Joe D.
Publisher: Jerusalem
1974
ISBN: 0878203028

This report covers the excavations which took place in Fields I and II as part of the work at Gezer mainly in the third and fourth seasons, in 1967-68.

The 1967 season was cancelled in June on the eve of the Six Day War, but a brief season from July 18 through August 11 was rescheduled and carried out as planned. The excavation was directed by William G. Dever, then Archaeological Director of the HUCBASJ; H. Darrell Lance of Colgate Rochester Divinity School was Associate Director. President Nelson Glueck of the HUC-JIR and Professor G. Ernest Wright of Harvard University served as Advisors. The labor force was made up of some 90 student volunteers, in an academic program featuring directed field work plus lectures, seminars and tours. This program was pioneered at Gezer beginning in 19642 and is now a familiar feature on almost all excavations in Israel. The student volunteer office in New York was managed by Dean Paul M. Steinberg of the HUC-JIR. The staffof 25 (P.45A) included field archaeologists as well as specialists in allied disciplines. The Senior or Core Staff members were Anita M. Furshpan, John S. Holladay, Jr., Joe D. Seger—all Field Archaeologists; Reuben G. Bullard, Geologist; Robert B. Wright, Photographer; and Norma E. Dever, Registrar and Camp Manager. Gerald B. Lindell was Draftsman; Dr. William Shea was the Camp Physician.

The fourth season was conducted between June 24 and August 2, 1968. The organization was approximately the same as that of the 1967 season, except that volunteers increased to about 100 and Staff to 30. Lance was in charge of the volunteer recruitment program in the U.S. and Dever and Lance served again as Director and Associate Director, respectively. Professors Glueck and Wright continued as Advisors. The Core Staff remained the same, except that Dan P. Cole, absent in the 1967 season, returned. Evelyn Rattray was Consulting Anthropologist; Polly Roberts was Objects Registrar; Robert Greenberg was Architect; and Gerald B. Lindell was Draftsman. Drs. Richard M. Goodman and William G. Prescott were Camp Physicians. Mr. Gad Granach, major dome of the HUCBASJ, was General Foreman (Pl. 45B).

Small operations as part of the fifth and sixth seasons in 1969-70 concluded Field II (infra, p. 47).

Seger, Joe D.
Publisher: Rockefeller Museum, Jerusalem
1972

Tomb Offerings from Gezer is an exhibition catalogue which includes text by Dr. Joe Seger, photographs by Theodore A. Rosen, and Drawings by Muff Rosen and Yvonne Levy. This exhibition of findings from the ancient biblical city of Gezer took place at The Israel Museum in Jerusalem during the summer of 1972.

Seger, Joe D.
Publisher: Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem
1972

Each archaeological excavation functions through its own organizational patterns which are dependent on the peculiar circumstances of the given site, the availability of staff and field labor, and upon the methodology employed. The Hebrew Union College Gezer Excavations, begun in 1964, have now enjoyed the advantages of eight years of experience in the field. During this time its own particular type of field organization and methodology has had an opportunity to mature and be tested. This Handbook is the second attempt in the course of these exca-vations to provide a manual describing the methods and processes employed in the work at the site. The working guide for Phase I of the field work was provided by Associate Director H. D. Lance's Excavation Manual for Area Supervisors, issued in 1966. This document, in many ways, provided the basis for the present Handbook and is extensively quoted. Likewise, all of the credits given in this earlier work to members of the Drew-McCormick, Shechem Staff, and to others whose ideas and insights have been therein codified, are equally acknowledged here.

It is nonetheless true that the experience at Gezer over the past half decade has indicated the need for some changes and refinements in the field and recording operations. The outline of excavation procedures and field recording processes that follows has been designed to incorporate these needed re-finements, as well as to describe new procedures for use in Phase II of the Gezer field work, be-ginning with the 1972 season.

Unlike Lance's Manual this new Handbook is intended not only to instruct and assist Area Supervisors, but also to be more of an overall guide for all members of the Staff, and to enable each to see how his work and recording tasks relate to the other aspects of the field operations. In this respect it serves also as a kind of textbook for volunteers and others interested in understanding the Gezer recording system and methodology. It is, of course, true that at many points the materials presented here can only be fully understood as the processes involved are worked through in the field. For this no apology is required. The necessity of actual physical involvement with dirt and artifacts is inherent in development of archaeological sophistication and understanding. This Handbook is designed specif-ically to guide and elucidate the field operations at Gezer, rather than in any sense to substitute for the experience of working with them.

In presenting this new statement the writer wishes to fully acknowledge his indebtedness to all of the members of the Gezer Phase I Core Staff, in-cluding Director W. G. Dever, Associate Director Lance, Drs. Reuben G. Bullard, Dan P. Cole, Anita M. Furshpan, John S. Holladay, Jr., and Robert B. Wright, and Mrs. Norma Dever, with whom the substance of much of what is codified here has been lived in the past six summers. An additional note of credit is, of course, due to H. D. Lance, whose original Manual has until now provided a most useful guide for all of the Gezer work. For help in the mechanics of preparing this new text, the author also wishes to acknowledge the generous cooperation of the Gezer Publication Staff, including especially Mrs. Theodore Rosen, firs. Deborah Stern, and Mrs. Karen Seger. Their assistance in preparing the cartographic features and in typing and proofreading the manuscript, has been most instrumental in providing for its early completion. Responsibility for any limitations and omissions in this present work are, of course, my own.