It is easy to fall into the temptation of asking: why not excavate the entire site at once? The first answer is practical: we simply cannot. There is no capacity to excavate—under scientific standards and with the necessary resources —at such speed, nor to properly process all the information; a single mistake could cause us to lose valuable data from the past forever.

But there is a deeper answer. Archaeology teaches us the value of time. We do not excavate everything at once because, first, we respect the past; and second, because we know that the future will bring new techniques for excavation, cataloging, analysis, and the study of materials, as well as better ways to process information.

This year, we will not have an excavation season open to international volunteers. Without a doubt, we feel the absence of the opportunity to share with you the discovery of Magdala’s past. Even so, archaeological work will continue. We will use this time to work on better ways of presenting Magdala’s past to those who visit the site.

We are focused on improving how we communicate information, both through virtual media and on-site: from a general overview to significant elements such as the Magdala Stone and the interpretations around it.

Archaeology teaches us to value both the past and the future. For this reason, although we will not have volunteers in the excavation this summer, we appreciate the work accomplished so far and look forward with hope to future excavations at Magdala.