Madaba Plains Madaba Plains Project:Project:

Tall Jalul UpdateTall Jalul Update

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MPP FieldworkMPP Fieldwork

• Tall Hisban

• Tall al-‘Umayri

• Tall Jalul

• Hinterland Surveys and Excavations

Madaba Plains Madaba Plains ProjectProject

• Lawrence T. Geraty -- La Sierra University (Senior Project Director)

• Doug Clark -- La Sierra University (Tall al-‘Umayri)• Larry Herr -- Canadian University College

(Tall al-‘Umayri)• Sten LaBianca -- Andrews University (Tall Hisban)• Randall Younker -- Andrews University (Tall Jalul)

Madaba Plains ProjectMadaba Plains ProjectConsortium SchoolsConsortium Schools

• Andrews University (Jalul, Hisban)• Canadian University College (‘Umayri)• Cincinnati Christian University (Jalul)• Grand Valley State University (Hisban)• La Sierra University (‘Umayri)• Northern Caribbean University (Jalul)• Walla Walla College (‘Umayri)

MPP Research MPP Research ObjectivesObjectives

• Trace patterns of subsistence strategies through time: intensification/abatement

• Trace occupational patterns: nomadization/sedentarization

• Trace sociopolitical and sociocultural evolution in the Madaba Plains area

• Overlay historical sources

Madaba Plains Project: Tall Jalul

Tall Jalul Tall Jalul ExcavationsExcavations

• Directors:

Randall Younker and Connie Gane • Co-Directors:

– Zeljko Gregor – Jennifer Groves– Paul Ray– Mark Ziese

Tall Jalul (map reference: PGE: 231200 / PGN:

125400) is located 5 km (8 mi) east of Madaba, covers 18.5 acres

(7.5 hectares) in area, and rises 819.50 m above sea level, over the Madaba

Plain

Tall Jalul Topographical Tall Jalul Topographical MapMap

Jalul Field A--Jalul Field A--Tripartite BuildingTripartite Building

Zeljko Gregor

and

Ruzica Gregor

Field A Summary: Field A Summary: 1992-19991992-1999

• 7th century BC pit and room; tripartite building

• 8th century BC building

• 10th century BC fills

7th century BC Tripartite 7th century BC Tripartite BuildingBuilding

West Wall of buildingWest Wall of building

1010thth century fills century fills

North Wall of North Wall of buildingbuilding ColumnColumn

77thth cent. BC cent. BC PavementPavement

88thth cent. BC Pavement cent. BC Pavement

Tripartite building; 8th century BC fillTripartite building; 8th century BC fill

88thth cent. BC fill cent. BC fill

West wall of 7West wall of 7thth cent. BCcent. BCTripartite Tripartite buildingbuilding

stylobatestylobate

Two phases of Tripartite Building:Two phases of Tripartite Building:77thth and 8 and 8thth Centuries BC Centuries BC

88thth century BC Wall century BC Wall

88thth century BC pavement century BC pavement

77thth century century BC WallBC Wall

77thth cent. BC pavement cent. BC pavement

Seam betweenSeam betweenWallsWalls

88thth cent. BC cent. BC pavementpavement

stylobatestylobate

Fallen pillarFallen pillar

Broken pillar baseBroken pillar base

77thth cent. BC stylobate cent. BC stylobate

Walls from 8Walls from 8thth cent. BC buidling cent. BC buidling

7th century BC stylobate; 8th 7th century BC stylobate; 8th century BC buildingcentury BC building

10th Century ashy lenses, 3-4 10th Century ashy lenses, 3-4 meters deep; Collared rim jars, meters deep; Collared rim jars, carinated bowls found in these carinated bowls found in these layerslayers

Removal of Field A Removal of Field A Building in 2005Building in 2005

• Balks and Stylobates were removed from the Iron Age II Tripartite building

Field A FillsField A Fills

• As in previous seasons, below the architectural remains Iron Age I and Late Bronze Age fills containing ashy lenses and sherds were found. The fills dip at a 45-degree angle

MB and LB Pottery found in MB and LB Pottery found in Field A FillsField A Fills

Field A

• In 2007 several squares were opened to the south of those in earlier seasons

• Walls of a late Iron II/Persian-period building were uncovered about half a meter below the surface

Jalul Field B—Jalul Field B—GatewayGateway

Jim Fisher (1992-1999)

Mark Ziese (2005)

Field B Summary: Field B Summary: 1992-19991992-1999

• 8th century BC approach ramp

• 8th century BC outer gate house

• 9th century BC approach ramp

• 9th century outer gate house

• 9th, 8th, 7th, 6th century BC and Persian period phases of main (inner) gate area

Approach Ramps 8th and 9th Approach Ramps 8th and 9th century BCcentury BC

88thth cent. BC ramp cent. BC ramp

99thth cent. BC ramp cent. BC ramp

Outer GatehouseOuter Gatehouse

Iron II Inner Gateway-view to Iron II Inner Gateway-view to easteast

Persian period phasePersian period phase

GatehouseGatehouse Iron II 7Iron II 7thth cent. BC phase cent. BC phase

Stone gate post holeStone gate post hole

88thth cent. BC pavement cent. BC pavement

Inner Gatehouse—view to westInner Gatehouse—view to west

Persian period Persian period PhasePhase77thth cent. BC pavement cent. BC pavement

88thth cent. BC pavement cent. BC pavement

Pavement PhasesPavement Phases9th, 8th, 7th/6th cent. BC, Persian period9th, 8th, 7th/6th cent. BC, Persian period

Persian periodPersian period

7th cent. BC7th cent. BC 8th cent. BC8th cent. BC

9th cent. BC9th cent. BC

Inner Gatehouse PylonsInner Gatehouse Pylons

Iron II Pylon--built in 9th cent. BC; rebuilt in Persian periodIron II Pylon--built in 9th cent. BC; rebuilt in Persian period

Field B 2005Field B 2005• Several squares

were added at the northern end of Field B in anticipation that more of the superimposed approach ramps to the Iron Age II city gate would appear

• Unfortunately, with the exception of a small remnant of the upper (8th century BC) ramp in Square B20, it was destroyed in antiquity

Field CField C——Iron Age Iron Age II/Persian Pillared II/Persian Pillared

BuildingBuilding

Penny Clifford (1994)Dick Dorsett (1994-1999) Connie Gane (1999-2007)

Paul Ray (1996, 2007-present)

Field CField C

• A large Persian period building was excavated in the 1994 -1996 seasons

Late Iron Age II/Persian Pillared HouseLate Iron Age II/Persian Pillared House

In the 1999 Season the last of the debris of this building were removed and a cave, where 14 bodies were found, was excavated

Cave opening in Cave opening in floor of house in floor of house in which 14 bodies had which 14 bodies had been thrown during been thrown during the 7the 7thth century BC century BC

Skeleton #8Skeleton #8

7th century BC Horse 7th century BC Horse FigurineFigurine

found with Skeletons found with Skeletons

Late Iron Age II/Persian Late Iron Age II/Persian BuildingBuilding

• Also in the 1999 season walls and circular structure were found in Square 5 to the south of the main building

Field C WallsField C Walls• Three new

squares were opened in the 2005 season

• An Iron Age II cobbled street and walls were found in Square C6 south and east of the Iron II/ Persian period building found earlier

Field CField C• In 2007 parts of

two buildings were located south of the Iron II/ Persian period building found in 1994-1999 seasons. Both structures date to the Late Iron II/Persian period

Walls of the first building, originally found in 2005, were traced to lower levels

Field CField C

• Between the two buildings was an alleyway or small street

C8

C7

Jalul Field D—Jalul Field D—Domestic AreaDomestic Area

Jennifer Groves

• Field D was opened in 1996 and by 1999 appeared to consist of a number of rooms surrounding a central courtyard. Pillars support the ceiling of at least one of the rooms

Field Field DD

Field DField D

Large Persian period store jar on floor of room

Field D RoomsField D Rooms

• In 2005 collapsed roof debris were found in several rooms of the Iron II/Persian period building found in the 1999 season

Room in Square D1

Field D RoomsField D Rooms

• Several whole vessels were found in situ on the floor of a room in Square D3

Field DField D• In 2007 work

continued in several rooms on the west side of the large Late Iron II/Persian-period building complex, uncovered in previous seasons

• Different floor levels were reached in the northwesternmost room

Field DField D

• Rooms of Field D structure

Field DField D

• Squares D7 and 8 were opened to the west in order to catch the extensions of the rooms of Squares D1 and D3

Field DField D• In 2008 a small

group of scholars from Andrews spent a couple of weeks getting down the bottom of the walls in Squares D1 and 3