The Adventure Begins Here!
Join us from August 4 – August 30, 2024!
Important Update!
Due to the current situation in Israel, the beginning of the academic year in Israeli universities had to be postponed, and it will therefore end unusually late this year – at the end of July. To make sure our Israeli students can excavate with us this summer, The Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition has decided to postpone the dates of the 2024 season.
We will make the whole of August “The Month of Azekah”! – and the new dates of the season will be from August 4 to August 30, 2024.
We apologise for any inconvenience this change might have caused, and are intent on taking it as an opportunity to create new positive experiences! We’ll rejoice together in the slightly longer August nights (a few more minutes of sleep every night this season!), and the smell of the approaching Autumn as the sun rises over the Tel.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us at azekah.excavations@gmail.com with any questions or concerns you might have, and we will be happy to do our best to help! Also, make sure to follow our Facebook and Instagram channels for some positive news as we share exciting plans for the season!
What We Find
Since excavations began in 2012, Azekah has yielded new, and exciting archaeological finds! In the upcoming season, our team will continue to reveal the monumental remains of temples, palaces, and fortification systems, as well as uncover rare and precious artifacts such as intact vessels, coins, seals, and more!
The Azekah experience also allows our students and volunteers to learn the processes associated with excavation as well as the treatment of archaeological artifacts; from careful excavation in the field to analysis in the lab, and onto registration, photography, and drawing at Tel Aviv University before finally reaching publication!
Where We Work
Located in the heart of the Judean Lowlands of Israel, Tel Azekah is an important site that was occupied some 3500 years, from the Early Bronze Age to the Byzantine Period.
Tel Azekah also played a significant role in the biblical texts, appearing as the arena for the battle between David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1), and as target of the Assyrian campaign led by Sennacherib, and the Babylonian seige under Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 34:7).
According to Nehemiah 11:30, Tel Azekah was resettled by Judeans in the Persian period, and continued to be populated in the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods, when it was listed in the Madaba map as Beit Zechariah. The title of the Tel was preserved in the name of the nearby Arab village, as well as in today’s Moshav Zekhariah.
Who We Are
Our international team includes archaeologists, historians, students, scientists, and people just looking for a little adventure!
Stay Connected
Be sure to follow for up-to-date information on events, conferences, and publications as well as all the photos from past and present seasons!
What is life like at Tel Azekah?
Explore our Azekah Information Pack and discover all you need to know about travel, transport, staff, the site, and more!
The Lautenschläger Azekah Expedition 