This week's column focuses on an integral player in the most recent installation of The Long, Long, Long and Hot Days of Our Lives (see Tureah's Tidbits): none other than that most dramatic of all measuring devices, the theodolite. This instrument recognizes the depth of any given point, respective to an established benchmark. In this manner, it helps determine how many vertical meters of progress have been made in digging downward, as well as showing the relationship of independent finds and features by displaying their stratigraphic relationship (i.e. are they at the same depth and can an association between them thus be suggested?). The theodolite bypasses the human error of meter sticks, instead relying on lasers and optics to produce a precise depth up to three decimal places in length. And as we now know, it is also a potentially deadly implement, yet another pawn in the machinations between the passions and rages that are so common to archaeology.

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The fabulous recorder for Field 3 is Julye Bidmead. Hailing from the San Francisco Bay area, this is her fifth season of excavation. Julye is finishing up her dissertation in Ancient Near Eastern Religion at Vanderbilt University, where she also taught Archaeology and the Bible; she is thus highly overqualified to be filling out pottery tags. Her arrival at Tel el Far'ah was by virtue of her previous experience digging with Far'ah Director Gunnar Lehmann at Megiddo, and she calls the first season here "excellent" and looks forward to the next. Her favorite part of the dig was being a part of Field 3's team of staff and volunteers.

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Tureah's Tidbits is proud to feature the second installment of The Long, Long, Long and Hot Days of Our Lives.

As we return to the tel, the plot is thickening. Last week, the story was in place but action had not been taken; now an unsuspecting Tammi is being bombarded by catastrophes.

"Tammi, we need to talk. I think you're in trouble," Gunnar calculates.

"Shpeak to me, Gunnar."

"I have a theory that Will is trying to sabotage the dig."

"Gunnar, you know I don't believe in theories."

A short while later, in Field 1, Jim hangs perilously from the balks, theodolite in hand, as Will and Gunnar look on. Then suddenly, without warning, Jim's foot slips (or was he pushed?) and he plummets to the ground. Will watches in terror as the pointed end of the device, like a dagger, thrusts at his throat. As onlookers pull the two from the ground, Will narrowly escaping with a minor flesh wound, Eddie puzzles, "How could the mind control have failed? Jim would have spared his own life before harming Will, and he's too strong to have slipped. He must have been pushed. Could Gunnar be on to our evil plan?"

Meanwhile, in Area 2, Michael is having a breakdown.

"I cannot work under these conditions! Someone is taking all the handles off of our water jugs and my workers are getting dehydrated. They are dropping like flies! How am I to get anything done?"

Martha reassuringly says, "Michael, now calm down. I have the situation taken care of. I've been in contact with the kibbutz by cell phone all day. But I am worried because most of those who are sick are my Trinity students. Do you suppose this is intentional?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Who would want to get the Trinity students sick?"

Twenty-nine new Israeli students from Ben Gurion University arrive at Kibbutz Gevulot, required to be there by their professor, Gunnar. His spies, growing in number, though weakened by the loss of their number-one agent, Martin, who returned home to Germany with pictures of the excavated pottery sherds, begin conducting secret meetings in the bathroom. Seemingly absurd, this is a key strategic move, preventing other students from using the showers and thus creating overall low morale and tardiness. Dana Miller, one of Tammi's recruits recently returned from the Peace Corps sees through their plans and takes matters into her own hands.

"You must open this door! I am filthy!"

"No!" a voice from inside calls out. "Come back later, it is too crowded for you."

"I must get in there!" cries Dana, and with supernatural powers she breaks the door down. "What is going on in here?"

She cannot believe what she sees before her. Stay tuned for the last installment of The Long, Long, Long and Hot Days of Our Lives, when we find out what Dana saw and who wins the battle for control of the tel.

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