Always a magnet for archeologists, Israel has seen its rich historical layers sifted through and catalogued exhaustively over the past 64 years of statehood. And there are always plenty more in progress, says Jon Seligman, head of excavations and surveys at the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The IAA supervises about 300 annual excavations, accounting for about 95 percent of all the archeological digs in Israel. The digs usually take place at a mound (tel in Hebrew) composed of the remains of ancient settlements. “We have 30 excavations every day,” says Seligman, “and we can carry on for many more years.”

Ten of Israel’s most significant archeological sites, now preserved as national parks and most of them UNESCO Heritage Sites, include:

1. Masada