Magellan Circle Excursions
The lands of the Bible, though physically small and shared today by Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian authority, have attracted the attention of Western scholars for more than two hundred years.
Next Excursion: April 20 - May 7, 2009
About ths Excursion
This tour encompasses the marvelous kaleidoscope of Israel’s archaeological riches from the Neolithic Revolution and the Bronze and Iron Ages to the classical and medieval periods. Five full days will be spent in Jerusalem, exploring in depth the archaeological sites, the outstanding museums and the major Christian, Jewish and Islamic holy places. Some of the many highlights of the tour include the prehistoric Carmel Caves, King Herod’s fortress of Masada, Bronze and Iron Age Megiddo, Hazor, Dan and Lachish, as well as the famous classical sites Bet She’an, Caesarea, Capernaum and Sepphoris.
During the Galilee portion of the tour, the sites visited include the Crusader fortress at Qalat Namrud, the fortified town of Gamla and ancient Katzrin. The exploration of these sites and the plethora of local museums will provide significant insights into both the ancient and modern history of the Near East and its profound influence on Western civilization.
About your guide, Dr. J. Edward Wright
Dr. J. Edward Wright is Professor of Hebrew Bible and early Judaism and Director of the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies at The University of Arizona. Wright received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University and did additional graduate study at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Harvard Divinity School.
Dr. Wright’s area of expertise is early Jewish history and religion with particular interest in the field of early Jewish apocryphal texts. These texts shed light on the non-traditional aspects of early Jewish thought and culture, and through his research Dr. Wright hopes to depict more accurately the rich diversity of early Judaism.
Travel Packet
Download the full (pdf file) travel packet here.
Travel Package Information
The cost is $7200 double occupancy ($2,075.00 single supplement) and includes the following:
- fully-guided tour lasting from April 20 through May 7, 2009
- surface transport by air-conditioned motor coach
- hotel rooms with private baths
- meals as listed in the itinerary, table d’hôte
- a tax-deductible donation to the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
ITINERARY
Monday, Apr 20, 2009: Depart in the evening.
TUES Apr 21: AMMAN: Arrive into Amman and transfer to the Marriott Hotel. Welcome. dinner.
WED Apr 22: PETRA: Touring begins at one of the most well preserved of Roman provincial cities, Jerash, where we will see remains from the time of the Roman General Pompey, the Triumphal Arch of Hadrian and churches built during the rule of Justinian. After lunch, we drive south, stopping at Madaba to view a unique mosaic map of Palestine made around 560 AD. Arrive at the Movenpick Hotel in time for dinner.
THURS Apr 23: PETRA: We will visit all of the accessible monuments of the ancient city with some time free for those who wish to climb to some of the city's less accessible places. The full day will be devoted to the exploration of this breathtakingly beautiful city, carved into rose-colored sandstone. Few sights in the world rival one's first glimpse of the Treasury viewed from the Siq.
FRI Apr 24: JERUSALEM: We will travel north to the Allenby Bridge and cross into Israel. We must cross the bridge by 12 noon as it will close at 1pm. We will spend the afternoon visiting Jericho beginning with world's longest cable-car ride to the 'Quruntul mountain' where there a Greek Orthodox monastery situated high in the rocks. There is also a good restaurant lunch with a great view. The visit will also include Hisham's Palace before driving up to Jerusalem. David Citadel Hotel.
SAT Apr 25: JERUSALEM: Our view of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives and Mt. Scopus will give us an understanding of its geographical position. Touring continues with the Model of Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple. The remainder of the day is devoted to an in-depth visit to the Israel Museum, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls and many other treasures. There are several venues for lunch in the museum.
SUN Apr 26: JERUSALEM: Our historical visits begin at the City of David, where excavations have exposed the city and shaft leading from the city to the water supply in the Kidron Valley. We will examine Hezekiah's Tunnel, built through the rock under the city to divert the water into an inner city reservoir, the Gihon Spring and Pool of Siloam. After lunch we will explore the Kidron Valley, which holds some of the finest standing monuments of the Second Temple period.
MON Apr 27: JERUSALEM: Our tour continues in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, emphasizing the recent discoveries of the Second Temple period; the southern wall excavations; Herodian Quarter - the residence of the upper-class Jerusalemites; the Cardo - the main thoroughfare of the Upper City.
TUES Apr 28: JERUSALEM: Returning to the Old City, we tour the Islamic monuments on the Temple Mount from the outside, including the Dome of the Rock and El-Aqsa Mosque. Our touring continues with the excavations of the Western Wall and the Christian Quarter, visiting the Bethesda Pool and the Church of St. Anne. Lastly, we will follow the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
WED Apr 29: JERUSALEM: Our day will begin with a tour and lecture at the W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, the oldest American research center for Ancient Near Eastern Studies in the Middle East. We then continue with a tour of the Rockefeller Museum. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the city on our own. We will also check out possible Independence Day events.
THURS Apr 30: SODOM: This special day begins with a stop at Bethlehem. We then continue down to the Dead Sea and ascend to the great fortress of Masada. Lunch at Massada. We will arrive at the Crown Plaza Dead Sea Hotel with time to swim in the Dead Sea before dinner.
FRI May 1: TIBERIAS: Visit Qumran, believed to have been an Essene settlement whose library housed the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in nearby caves. We then drive up the Rift Valley to Tiberias stopping to visit at Hammat Tiberias (closes at 4pm), where we will see the unusual mosaic floor of a 4th century synagogue before checking into the Sheraton Moriah Tiberias.
SAT May 2: TIBERIAS: Touring today begins at Bet She'an, where excavations, still under way, have revealed evidence of Bet She'an's role as an Egyptian provincial capital as early as the 14th-12th centuries BC. After lunch, touring continues at Nazareth with visits to the Basilica of the Annunciation, which preserves the footprint of the Crusader church and the Church of St. Joseph.
SUN May 3: GALILEE: Our first stop is Capernaum, the site of Jesus' three-year ministry. We then continue to the Golan Archaeological Museum and the ancient site of Katzrin. Our last stop will be Hazor, where we will explore Amnon Ben-Tor's current excavations. Early work by Yigael Yadin revealed 21 different strata of settlement going back to the Early Bronze Age. The next two nights will be at the Kfar Blum Kibbutz.
MON May 4: GALILEE: Today's touring will focus on the Golan and will include Tel Dan, known in antiquity as Laish until it was captured by the tribe of Dan, Banias, the old Israel position and bunkers in the Golan, etc. and Nemrud.
TUES May 5: HAIFA: Our first visit will be to Akko for a visit to the fortress and walls, etc. Lunch in the port. We then continue to the Solomonic city of Megiddo, famed for its extensive water tunnel. After a complete exploration of the museum and ancient city we continue to Haifa with time to visit the Bahai gardens before checking into our hotel. Dan Carmel Hotel.
WED May 6: TEL AVIV: Drive south along the Mediterranean to visit the Roman port of Caesarea. Lunch in the port of Caesarea before continuing to Tel Aviv. Remainder of the day at leisure. Farewell dinner at a fine restaurant (wine included). Tel Aviv Sheraton.
THURS May 7: Transfer to the airport for our flight home.
READY TO BOOK?
Gail Godbey, Associate Director of Development
UA College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
Douglass Bldg. 200W
P.O. Box 210028
Tucson AZ 85721
Phone: (520) 626-1918
Fax: (520) 626-6875
Email: godbey@sbs.arizona.edu
For additional info on the Magellan Circle itself, feel free to visit this page:
http://www.sbs.arizona.edu/development/magellan/magellan.html
For more information on joining the Magellan Circle, please contact:
Gail Godbey, (see contact info above)
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