Ralph Appelbaum Associates

Dig Deeper offers an engaging exploration into the fascinating world of ancient glass makers and the archaeologists who study them. Excavations in the 1960s by researchers from the Corning Museum of Glass and the University of Missouri uncovered a glass workshop in Jalame, near Haifa, Israel, active between 350 and 400 CE. The findings from Jalame, featured in the exhibition, include raw glass chunks, remnants of glass-making furnaces, debris from glass blowing, and fragments of everyday glass vessels.

Visitors have hands-on opportunities to touch ancient glass and listen to the sounds of excavations and wood-fueled furnaces. Additional activities, including an archaeology lab, bring the experience of archaeological exploration to life for all ages. A special highlight is a digital game allowing visitors to join the Jalame excavation team and uncover their discoveries.

The exhibition showcases approximately 75 objects on loan from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), including items that have never been displayed outside Israel. A collection of gold and bronze jewelry and glassware from Hurfeish is included, along with additional pieces from the Israel Museum and the Museum of Art and Archaeology at the University of Missouri.

Dima Srouji, a Palestinian artist and designer, contributes artwork to the exhibition. Her piece, Ghosts (2022), features replicas of glass artifacts from the Levant. Additionally, a 36-page comic book authored by curator Katherine Larson and illustrated by John Swogger complements the exhibition, enhancing the education and engagement of visitors.