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The ADASR project was begun as a combined archaeological and environmental study focused on the arid regions of Israel, most notably the Negev, starting with the desert community of Nitzana near Israel's border with Egypt. As we began working with various elementary and high school students and their teachers, they, by their enthusiasm and excitement, demanded that we expand our activities to include them in the decision making process in regards to the preservation of the archaeological sites.
In 2005 and 2006 we have expanded this effort to include projects in the areas of Ofaqim, Shuval, and Avdat, as well as continuing the work at Nitzana. These activities were sponsored by the Institute of Archaeology, the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies at Bar-Ilan University, including the Irving and Cherna Moskowitz Chair for the Study of the Historic Land of Israel, the Dr. Simon Krauthammer Chair in Archaeology, and the Koschitzky Family Foundation, with the collaboration of Israel Antiquities Authority, Jewish National Fund, Mnemotrix Systems, Inc., and the environmental schools involved in the project.
Ofaqim is a site located 20 kilometers northwest of Beer Sheva. The Merchavim School sponsored and participated in a project for students to be involved in studying the archaeology and history of this site in 2005. In these photos students can be seen measuring and surveying an ancient agricultural site from the Byzantine Period, which consists of ruins of a farm house and several water cisterns and an ancient agricultural terrace. Ofaqim
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Shuval is a site located 30 kilometers north of Beer Sheva, near an environmental school Meevoot Ha'Negev. This county school is located in the kibbutz serving the whole community with a strong emphasis on the environment. This activity took place at an ancient ruin, an Ottoman farm house located near a Byzantine ruin. The ancient remains include the ruin of the ancient farm house and a water cistern. Shuval
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Avdat is an important Nabatean and Byzantine site in the Negev surrounded by ancient desert farms from the 5th to the 8th centuries CE. The area was surveyed and excavated by the environmental school of Sde Boker. The 2005 activities included surveying and excavation of one farm house by the environmental school of Sde Boker, located 15 kilometers north of Avdat. This was supplemented by a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Study from the Land of Israel Studies at Bar Ilan University in association with Mnemotrix Systems, Inc. Avdat
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Nitzana is located in the Southwest of Israel near the Egyptian border. Education Programs have been conducted at Nitzana - an education center located in the heart of the ancient agricultural region in the Negev. These programs are offered to students from abroad who come for special projects especially in the summer. In 2005 and 2006 this work has continued through the winter with the local students from Nitzana High School, where a farm maintenance project includes overturning of the soil, getting rid of bushes and brush, cleaning up the area, and planting. These kids at Nitzana High School are having fun, while taking care of their historic environment. Young Israeli soldiers serving in the desert who were on duty in the Negev, also help to rejuvenate the Negev ancient agricultural installations. Nitzana
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