One of the most exciting places for archaeological excavations, Israel provides depth and breadth on the human experience from the most ancient of times to the present. Highlighting three key moments in human history – the rise of agriculture, the Israelite kingdom, and the revolt against empire – archaeology illuminates what happened and encourages us to ask why

The Jewish people have a very ancient history in the land that is today the State of Israel. The Jewish claim to indigeneity is based on a three-thousand-year-old continuous history and the centrality of the land as the focus of Jewish yearning and practices. The archaeological evidence is visual, tactile, place-based, and scientific, offering important lessons about heritage for Jews and on archaeology as an avenue for Indigenous rights.

The robust history of the cities and societies of eastern North America rivals the other better-known ancient civilizations. Exploring the findings from Cahokia and other Mississippian cities, the ways of life for the Iroquois and Calusa societies, and the enduring traditions of Native America expands our understanding of human heritage and illustrates archaeology as a path to healing the divides of history.

With pick and shovel, trowel and brush are the traditional ways archaeologists have revealed the past, digging up the dirt to find artifacts and insights into human history. New high-tech approaches are showing even more aspects of the past, without disturbing the soil and providing innovative ways to show objects, architecture, and landscapes on our screens.