When Deirdre Dempsey, associate professor of theology, awoke in the morning during her six-week excavation venture to Syria, she said two prayers — "Please don't let a snake bite me today" and "If we find anything, please let it be Aramaic and not Achaean."
Dempsey is a specialist on translating ancient writings — specifically those in Aramaic — and lived on a 56-acre excavation site called Tell Qarqur from early June to mid-July. She spoke of her experiences Tuesday in the Raynor Library.
Dempsey said the site contained "layers of human occupation collected over periods of time."
"Over thousands of years, there could have been 20 different occupations," she said. "These areas follow the pattern of occupation, destruction, erosion and then occupation again."
Sixteen others from American universities joined Dempsey this summer, including Rudy Dornemann, director of Tell Qarqur excavations since the early 1990s.
Dempsey first began digging at Tell Qarqur in 1984 and returned this past summer.
This project was funded in part by the Catholic Biblical Association, which promotes scholarly study in Scripture. The excavation site has Biblical connections, including an ancient monolith inscription uncovered near the site — a reference to Ahab the Israelite, a king of Israel mentioned in the First Book of Kings.
The inscription "is what we call extra-Biblical literature," Dempsey said.
Upon excavation of the site, a temple complex dating back to 2000 B.C. was uncovered. This time period was a transition to the patriarchal period of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. An incense burner and lamp were found in the ancient temple.
A household idol mentioned in Genesis stories was also found.
"These were all items that would have been used in a pagan temple," Dempsey said.
The process of uncovering such artifacts began with the digging of a 5 meter by 5 meter square, digging down while keeping the walls intact.
"In theory, you're digging at the top and you find the most recent stuff there, and it gets older and older as you go deeper," said Dempsey.
As site supervisor, Dempsey specialized in epigraphy, or the study of inscriptions engraved into stone. However, she did not find a lot of written material.
"I'm sure it's there," Dempsey said, "That's why I go back."
In order to verify dates and records of objects or structures found at the sites, pottery from the excavation was taken back to experts at the village.
"People who are trained to read can look through (the pottery) and see distinctions and say when they're from," said Dempsey.
New technological ways of excavating are emerging, however, including ground-penetrating radar and an electrical resistance profiler that sends high-voltage currents into the ground. The currents then form a map of what is underground, she said.
Attendees said Dempsey's lecture was informative and entertaining.
"I learned a lot about excavating," said Julie O'Keeffe, coordinator of outreach services for Raynor Memorial Libraries. "It's a very tedious process and (Dempsey's presentation) confirmed my impression that it must be an act of patience."
Another attendee was impressed with the amount of material found at the site. Dempsey said diggers found weapons, beads, pottery, seal impressions and sling projectiles.
"They found so much and such detailed artifacts, which generally doesn't happen too often," said Karen Casey, a senior in the College of Communication. "It was pretty amazing."
Marquette University Librarians' Assembly and the Library Support Staff Association sponsored the colloquium.