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Historical Geography of Jordan

What do you do after you’ve learned the historical geography of Israel? Recognize that the other half of the biblical story is on the east side of the Jordan River and plan to learn that.

The best way I know how to do that is through the Historical Geography of the Bible II course offered by the University of the Holy Land. I’ve participated in this study trip taught by Dr. Ginger Caessens and I highly recommend it. You simply cannot find another trip where you will learn and see more about biblical history in Jordan.

The class runs from July 2 to 16, 2012, and the cost is $2200 for full board, double occupancy (single supplement is $376). This includes two hours of credit but does not include airfare to Tel Aviv or transport from the airport to Jerusalem.

ITINERARY FOR HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE II (JORDAN):

Monday, July 2, Transfer from Israel to Jordan via Allenby Bridge; traditional baptismal site (Bethany-Beyond-Jordan?). Overnight in Amman. (Special arrangements can be made for those who
wish to join the group in Jordan rather than in Israel.)

Tuesday, July 3, Lectures. Overnight in Amman.

Wednesday, July 4, The Land of Ammon Field Trip: Amman Citadel (Rabbath-Ammon) and National Museum; remains of Philadelphia (Theater, Odeon); Rujm al-Malfouf (Ammonite tower);
Tall al-`Umayri; Kh. es-Sar; Iraq al-`Amir. Overnight in Amman.

Thursday, July 5, Upper Gilead Field Trip: Tall adh-Damiyya/ ancient Adam (view from road); Tulul adh-Dhahab (Mahanaim?); Tall Dayr `Alla (Penuel?); Ajlun Castle; Mar Elias, Listeb, and Umm al-Hedamus (Tishbeh?, home of Elijah). Overnight in Olive Branch Hotel near Jerash.

Friday, July 6, Lower Gilead Field Trip: view of Tall al-Maqlub (Jabesh-gilead?) from the village of Judeita; Tabaqat Fahel (Pella); Umm Qeiss (Gadara); Beit Ras (Capitolias); Tall ar-Rumeith (Ramothgilead?). Overnight in Olive Branch Hotel near Jerash.

Saturday, July 7, Jerash (Gerasa). Overnight in Amman.

Gerasa from south

Sunday, July 8, Free day. Overnight in Amman.

Monday, July 9, Quiz and Lectures. Overnight in Amman.

Tuesday, July 10, Medeba Plateau Field Trip: Tall Hisban (Heshbon); Kh. al-Mukhayyat (ancient village of Nebo); Mt. Nebo; Madaba Mosaic Map; Kh. `Attarus (Ataroth); Mukhawir (Machaerus);
Tall Araʼir (Aroer); Tall Dhiban (Dibon); W. Mujib/Arnon River Gorge. Overnight in Kerak.

Wednesday, July 11, Moab and Edom Field Trip: Kerak Castle; Sela (climb); Buseira (Bozra); view of W. Danna; `Udruh (Roman Fort). Overnight in Wadi Musa.

Thursday, July 12, Little Petra (Siq al-Barid); Petra. Overnight in Wadi Musa.

Friday, July 13, Caravan Routes East and South of Petra: Humayma (ancient caravan stop); Wadi Ram (2-hour jeep ride followed by traditional meal in Bedouin tent); Wadi Yitm. Overnight in Aqaba.

Saturday, July 14, Wadi Arabah Field Trip: ancient Copper Mines at Feinan (Punon?); Kh. en-Nahash; Sanctuary of St. Lot/Deir `Ain Abata; Bab adh-Dhra (view from road); Hot springs of Kallirhoe. Overnight in Madaba.

Sunday, July 15, Exam. Overnight in Madaba.

Monday, July 16, Return to Jerusalem; program ends.

Jebel Khazali in Wadi Rum

Tagged Jordan, Opportunities

Google Street View To Photograph Jerusalem Today

If you are around and about Jerusalem and want to be immortalized in Google Street View, you might spend more time walking on the sidewalk in the coming days. From Janglo:

If you spend your days in Jerusalem, you might want to try spending as much of them outdoors as possible. That is, if you want to have a chance at ending up in Google Street View maps of Jerusalem. Google recently received permission to start imaging cities in Israel and including them in the street view maps. This afternoon they are firing their opening shots, having decided to begin their imaging in Jerusalem. They will be holding a ceremony in Jerusalem with Mayor Nir Barkat to kick off the process.. So, if you hang out in the great outdoors of Jerusalem enough in the immediately near future, you might just end up as a pedestrian in Google Street View maps.

Tagged Jerusalem, Tourism

TV Series: Astonishing Discoveries in the Land of the Bible

The following notice was sent out to the Archeologylist at Southern University.

The exciting new archaeology series “Astonishing Discoveries” with Dr. Michael G. Hasel and Dr. Ron Clouzet will be downlinked live to hundreds of churches across the United States this coming week, September 14-18, at 7:30 p.m. EDT. It can also be seen on Hope Church Channel (http://www.hopetv.org/watch-now/watch-live-online/hope-church-channel/). See the attached schedule for programing. Invite your friends and participate for this major event!

The schedule, available in pdf here, lists the following shows:

Wed., Sept 14, 7:30 pm: Egyptian Wonders That Stunned the World

Thurs., Sept 15, 7:30 pm: Babylon, Sumer, and the Quest for Power

Fri., Sept 16, 7:30 pm: The Greatest Discoveries in the Land of Israel

Sat., Sept 17, 7:30 pm: The Spade and the Historical Jesus

Sun., Sept 18, 7:30 pm: Living Rocks from the Apocalypse

Tagged Opportunities

Weekend Roundup, Part Two

The Jordan Lead Codices are fake, fake, fake. This video by Tom Verenna explains why.
JPost’s weekly column “Off the Beaten Track” is inaptly titled this week, but you still may enjoy the tour of Jaffa Gate and the Old City wall running south to Mount Zion.
Less satisfying is Yoni Cohen’s story describing the trails at Ramat Hanadiv (but little about the site!).

In “Archaeology in Israel Update—August 2011,” Stephen Gabriel Rosenberg writes about the “Boundary stone found in Lower Galilee, “Ancient Shechem to be opened to the Public,” “Jerusalem sewage ditch yields up more treasures,” “Phaesalis [sic] City Unvovered” [sic], and “Bathhouse Hercules in the Jezre’el Valley.”

“Seventy-five archaeological missions will resume excavation projects in Egypt as of Monday.”

It is being reported that Egypt will require visitors to acquire a visa before arriving. If it happens, it will no doubt reduce the number of tourists.

Gertrude Bell is remembered in the Jerusalem Post 85 years after her death.

USA Today has named the Glo Bible the #1 coolest book app for the fall. They are impressed with the “700 images of religious art, 2,300 full-color photos and 500 virtual tours of Biblical sites, 140 interactive maps and study tools.” An Android version is coming for all of those with iPhobia.

HT: Joseph Lauer, Jack Sasson

Western Wall of the Old City of Jerusalem

Tagged Egypt, Jerusalem, Pseudo-Archaeology, Weekend Roundup

Weekend Roundup, Part One

Last week I lamented that Joe Yudin’s tour of Jerusalem tombs would have benefited from some photos. Shmuel Browns has fulfilled that need with pictures and a map.

In the heart of Mea Shearim in Jerusalem, the Ultra-Orthodox have held the first conference on “Torah archaeology.” This is a welcome change for a group known for its vocal, and sometimes violent, opposition to archaeology.

The editors at Bible and Interpretation reflect on how they have scooped Biblical Archaeology Review multiple times this year.

A couple of stories about the 12th Annual City of David Archaeology Conference were widely circulated this week. I held off posting, preferring a story that described what happened rather than predicted what might happen. What “newest research and discoveries” was revealed? Did the conference “overturn popular theories”? So far I have seen no reports.

Seth Rodriquez has written and illustrated a simple way to teach people how to “draw the map” of Israel with its major geographic features.

Illustration from Seth Rodriquez’s “Biblical Geography: Drawing the Map”

Tagged Jerusalem, Weekend Roundup

The Search for a Buried Tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings

A blogger’s report on Stephen Cross’s presentation at the Ancient World Tours Conference last week suggests that a buried tomb may have been identified in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. KV62 is the tomb of King Tutankhamen and KV63 is the most recently identified tomb.

At the end of his talk he turned to the possibility of a tomb KV64. He listed some facts about KV62:

it is at an elevation of 170m above mean sea level;

it is sited below an overhang in the rock;

there is a leveled area just outside the entrance.

After the 2008/9 excavations, he identified one location in the central area which matches these same facts. The levelled area was confirmed by ground penetrating radar. It is about 3 feet from the edge of the excavated area. The radar also suggested what may be a tunnel filled with limestone chipping stretching from somewhere near that possible entrance location beneath the Rest House, although I don’t think it was shown as reaching the theorised tomb entrance.
There is no proof, but it could turn out that KV64 has been identified, although there have been many false dawns on this story over the past 5 or 6 years. (He says that the Reeves radar anomalies were mostly checked and were surface features such as minor fissures or even modern conduits.)

The full report is here.

HT: Jack Sasson

Entrance to the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt

Tagged Egypt