Experiencing the Past
at Tel Megiddo
Most archaeological presentations address only a
few of the possible stories comprising a site's history. At Megiddo, the
past, present, and future converge at this crucial junction along the ancient
Maris. These stories are and will be told through a combination of
excavated material culture and the biblical accounts associated with the
site and the various peoples who inhabited it.
The goal of the Megiddo site presentation, designed
by Ann E. Killebrew, is to present (1) a "vertical", or chronological,
cross-section through the history of the mound which will highlight the
site's various cultures and periods, together with (2) a "horizontal",
or multi-faceted, approach to each period which will include public or
historical events of kings as well as the daily life of the inhabitants
of Megiddo. The approach also aims at integrating the biblical and historical
accounts with the architecture and artefacts recovered at Megiddo in the
course of the excavations. Too often these aspects are presented as independent
elements -- with architectural remains at the site while artefacts from
the site are on exhibition in a distant museum or, equally unfortunate,
languishing in storerooms.
The many stories of Megiddo will be told through
"visitors' stations" located at fourteen different spots on the mound.
A multi-faceted and, in some cases, a multi-media approach is employed
which includes a combination of interpretative techniques such as traditional
sign-posting with updated information and isometric drawings, models, limited
reconstruction, and high-tech "virtual reality" computer-generated imagery.
The most exciting part of this project at Tel Megiddo
are plans for a new state-of-the-art interpretative technique which combines
on-site "real time" viewing overlaid by a three-dimensional animated computer-generated
imagery viewed by visitors through a computer screen. Such a technique
is currently in operation at the archaeological site of Ename in East Flanders,
Belgium. It was developed by the East Flanders Government together with
IBM (see webpage: www.Ename974.org).
This visitor-controlled and interactive approach is now in the process
of being adapted at Tel Megiddo and will be installed in "Palace 6000", traditionally
considered to have been built by King Solomon in the 10th century BCE.
This monumental structure was partially excavated in the 1998 season under
the supervision of Ann E. Killebrew and Gunnar Lehmann. Excavation will continue in the summer of 2000. Following its excavation,
Palace 6000 will be the focus of a multi-media site presentation dealing
with King Solomon in the Bible and in the archaeological evidence. Neil A. Silberman (writer) and Bill Kennedy (architect)
are also members of the interpretative team. This innovative computer-generated
on-site presentation project is part of a cultural agreement between the
East Flanders Government and the Nature Preservation and National Parks
Authority and the excavation projects of Ename and Tel Megiddo.
A contemplation corner, overlooking the magnificent
Jezreel Valley, is
the most recent addition to Tel Megiddo. This valley is the spot where
Christian tradition holds that the final battle of Armageddon will occur
(Revelations 16:14-16). The shelter is built on the eastern edge of the
mound and incorporates beautifully carved ashlar stones which once belonged
to the nearby ruined monumental buildings dating to the period of the Israelite
Kings (Iron II period). Numerous sites of biblical significance can be
viewed from this spot. Visitors wishing to contemplate Armageddon, conduct
prayer or worship services, or simply enjoy the biblical view from the
mound are encouraged to rest in this shaded and secluded area where the
past meets the future.