for alot mazar, digging is a family affair. in 1948 her grandfather, benjamin mazar, was the first archeologist to get a digging permit in the new state of israel. and when the israelis recaptured jerusalem in 1967, he started excavating the area around the temple mount. his granddaughter, alot, was working by his side when she was just 11 years old. >> what i've learned from him, the major thing, is that the bible is part of our historical sources to be used and restudied and re-examined again and again. it doesn't object in any way to our scientific, archeological capability of defusing the best methods for excavation. it goes side by side and it fits beautifully, and it should. >> gordon: like her grandfather, mazar is uncovering the jerusalem of the bible, layer by layer. in 2005 she started digging in the city of david with one goal in mind -- >> king david's palace. well, i had my assumptions, based on the evidence of that time. and then when i started excavation, it was, of course, an open question. >> gordon: it wasn't