The two first met when Clayton joined the excavation team as an archaeology student, with Abigail serving as his supervisor.
By Brett Goodman, TPS
The excavation season at ancient Shiloh wrapped up this week with striking discoveries, including ancient pottery vessels and a rare purple-dye shell found in a ritual bath.
But for Clayton Van Hess and his wife, Dr. Abigail Van Hess, who lead the excavation team, the season’s most meaningful discovery was not beneath the soil—it was the story of their own connection to the biblical site.
They shared their story ahead of Tu B’Av, a minor but ancient holiday associated with love and matchmaking that is often described as the Jewish equivalent of Valentine’s Day. This year, the holiday falls on Wednesday.
The biblical connection between Tu B’Av and Shiloh adds special meaning to their story.
According to the Book of Judges, the annual festival was held in Shiloh, where women danced in the vineyards as eligible men sought wives.
“When they asked me what the most amazing find I found at Shiloh was, I had no doubt—Abigail is my most amazing find,” said Clayton.
Abigail replied with a smile, “I’ve been digging for many years, but I’ve never found anything better than Clayton.”
The two first met when Clayton joined the excavation team as an archaeology student, with Abigail serving as his supervisor.
“During the first excavation season, I tried really hard to impress her,” Clayton recalled. “I was sure I had found an ancient urn and tried to put it together, even though Abigail said it wasn’t an urn. In the end, it turned out that these were actually pieces of ancient toilet paper,” he laughed
Abigail was impressed by his persistence. “He didn’t give up; he went to investigate and discovered for himself what it was. I realized he was a great guy.”
About two years ago, Clayton proposed. He asked Abigail where she’d want to get married.
Shiloh, she told him, at the spot where Hannah, the mother of the biblical prophet Samuel, prayed for a child.
They held their wedding there at the site, surrounded by their excavation team, while family in the U.S. watched over a livestream.
Even war did not keep them apart.
“I’m not afraid; we’re just learning to live with it,” Abigail said. Clayton said that over the past year they have seen missile interceptions over the excavation site.
After the wedding, the couple was also forced to leave Israel through Egypt after Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport closed—a journey they called “a reverse exodus from Egypt.”
The couple is now weighing a move to Israel permanently, with Clayton planning to continue his studies at Ariel University.
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