Endnote 1 – Underground Metropolis: The Subterranean World of Maresha

From 1980 on, renewed research at Maresha was carried out intensively by the Israel Antiquities Authority (the IAA, then the Department of Antiquities of the Ministry of Education and Culture). From 1989 to 1994, six excavation seasons were conducted under the direction of the present writer on behalf of the IAA. The tomb restoration project, supervised by the IAA, began in 1993. As part of the park at the site, the excavation and restoration were funded by the Israel Government Tourist Corporation, the National Parks Authority and the Jewish National Fund together with the IAA. The site was opened to the public on Passover 1991.