DR. DALE MANOR, as\()ciate professor of Bible and archaeology, works with some of his artifacts Jan. 27. Manor excavated several sites in Israel, including Tel Beth-Shemesh, where he discovered an ancient iron workshop. ·A. BEENE PROFESS Like many teachers, Dr. Dale Manor, associate professor of Bible and archaeology, could be found at his desk. But one step into his office showed Manor was anything but ordinary. With shelves of old Ix>oks, ancient artifacts and a giant Indiana Jones poster, Manor's office resembled a small eclectic library. Along with his one-of-a-kind office, Manor's chapel talks fiUed with large words and his impressions of Yoda and camels during classes showed he was one of the colorful personalities on Harding's campus. he could attend the University of Arizona to pursue his doctorate degree in Syno-Pafestinian Archaeology. He took classes, preached at a local church and went on excavations during the summer. Manor excavated throughout Israel, specifically at Tel Rehov, Ekron, Dan, Jerusalem and the Negev Desert. He was the field director this year at Tel Beth-Shemesh, an excavation site of about seven acres located near the modern city of Beth-Shemesh. When digging for artifacts that were thousands of years old, Manor found some pretty interesting things. In Ekron, he helped uncover a fourAt a young age, Manor took an interest in archaeology and digging things up. "When I was 6 years old, my cat died, so we buried it," he said. "A year later, I dug it up to see what had happened. I should have left it in the ground a little longer - it was still decomposing." "When I was 6years old, my cat died, so we buried it. Ayear later, I dug it up ..:' horned alter with the remnants of an incense offering still on it. In 2001, Manor said he made an exciting discovery in Tel Beth-Shemesh. "We found the largest iron workshop in the Near East," he said. The workshop dated back to the 10th century B.c., making it one of the oldest workshops ever found. When he was in middle school, Manor's parents gave him "The Complete Book of Marvels," It was a collection of articles writ- .DR, DALE MANOR ten by a man who had traveled throughout the world to ancient sites. Manor read it over and over again and became further interested in archaeology. In college, he found himself writing almost all his papers on archaeological topics. After college, Manor preached in California, where he met and worked with a variety of people, including some famous ones. "The rumors are true," he said. "Weird Al Yankovic attended the church where I preached." With his passion for archaeology still burning, Manor decided to move his family to Tuscan, Ariz., in 1984, so LEADERSHIP - 152 "It created quite a stir in the archaeological community," Manor said. At Ekron, while excavating an olive-crushing basin, Manor uncovered two human leg bones covered with jewelry. "There is no logical explanation for the leg bones:' he said. "All that was there were the legs. It is hands down the strangest thing I have ever excavated." Manor's students said no matter what he was doing, it was easy to see his love for God in everything he did. "Dr. Manor is a man that tries to serve God with all the qualities he has-with all his heart, soul and mind," junior Caleb Borchers said. -LAURA KAISER
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