Lecture Summaries: 14 June, 2007

Back to PEF Main Pages

Survey and Excavation at Ancient Zoara in the Ghor es-Safi, Jordan

by
Dr. Konstantinos Politis
Hellenic Society for Near Eastern Studies

The site of ancient Zoara is known from the Old Testament (Genesis) as the only city of ‘the Plain’ which wasn’t destroyed by fire and brimstone. There is ample evidence for a substantial settlement from the Early Bronze Age, more limited Middle Bronze Age finds, followed by extensive Iron Age occupation. Zoara is well attested to in Roman and Byzantine documents, such as the Babatha archives, and is depicted on the Byzantine Madaba mosaic map. During Crusader and medieval Islamic periods it was a major centre for sugar and indigo production and the most important market centre for these products.

Over a ten year period beginning in 1996, the Ghor es,-S,āfī – Zoara project located and mapped dozen of sites in the region. The main components of the project are the Early Byzantine – medieval urban centre of Khirbet esh-Sheikh ‘Īsā, the adjacent medieval industrial complex of T,awāh,īn es-Sukkar, and the Early Bronze Age and Early Byzantine cemetery at An Naq‘. Other sites include the sprawling Iron Age agricultural settlement of Tuleilat Qasr Mousa Hamid, the Nabataean fortress of Umm et-Tawabin, the Wadi al-Hasa hermitage and dam, and the ancient road along the Wadi Sarmūj. In the nearby Wadi Hamarash-Suweif lies a significant Pre-pottery Neolithic B site.

After a series of initial surveys in the late 1990s, trial excavations were carried out during 2002-2003 at the south-western edges of the Khirbet Sheik ‘Isa site exposing the southern extent of the city walls as well as a number of rooms. At the far south-western part of the excavation there was good evidence for at least one church. A wider survey of the area and slopes around the main sites identified their limits and discerned the ancient agricultural field system. This surviving evidence on the ground was then compared to 1961 aerial photographs before the area was developed and consequently disrupted.

This lecture focused on more recent work supported by the PEF.The 2004 season saw the survey of the greater Zoara vicinity and expansion of two excavation trenches opened during the 2002-2003 season: the milling room at T,awāh,īn es-Sukkar, the sugar factory complex and at Khirbet esh-Sheikh ‘Īsā, the city centre. This is a key area not only because it is the location of the main market but also because of its substantial, stratified deposits.

A new trench was made in the adjacent cemetery of an Naq‘, where over 400 4^th-6^th century AD Christian and Jewish inscribed tombstones have been recovered in recent years. This cemetery, which has been badly looted by tomb-robbers, was never officially excavated before.

The survey precisely locates the newly identified dam with a Nabataean inscription, the ancient road leading to the eastern plateau, the fortress of Umm et-Tawabin and the agricultural lands to the west, near the Iron Age site of Tuleilat Qasr Moussa Hamid, which help identify the ancient southern shoreline of the Dead Sea.

In 2005, work began on establishing a basis for mapping the entire area: every known site was re-visited and basic co-ordinates taken using a GPS and a Total Station Theodolite. In addition to this, various aerial photographs were gathered including a set taken in 1992 by the Royal Jordanian Air Force, a complete set of 1:50,000 maps of the area, and selected 1:25,000 maps, Shuttle Radar Topographic Mapping (SRTM) data and low resolution NASA satellite imagery. This information has been geo-corrected used to establish a Geographical Information Project using the newly established Jordanian co-ordinate system which will serve as the main method of recording.

In 2006-07, the survey continued with more field walking and verification. In order to understand the nature and extent of communication routes between the Ghor es,-S,āfī and the interior, the routes running into the Ghor es,-S,āfī from the wadis Sarmūj and Abrash were traced and recorded employing GIS/GPS. A detailed plan of the Wadi al-Hasa hermitage was made after a brief excavation and clearance, as well as the ancient water canal and dam system at the south side of the mouth of the wadi. The new Nabataean inscription next to a rock-cut niche there was also recorded. Additional aerial photographs taken in 1953 and 2000 now available at the Royal Jordanian Geographic Centre in Amman were incorporated into our GIS/GPS of the Ghor es-Safi.

On the north bank of the wadi a hermitage identified during the last century and Middle Bronze Age II tombs were added to the map. Further up the wadi at the intersection of the Wadi Hamarash-Suweif a PPNB site was identified with Basta-type buildings standing over 1.5 metres, flint tools and grind stones. Two more Neolithic sites were identified and recorded nearby.

Immediately north of Wadi al-Hasa lies Wadi Sarmuj, where the ancient road leading up to the Kerak plateau was identified and mapped. Although it was originally a stepped Roman ‘Imperial’ road, three open-air masjid mosques indicated that it was also used during the medieval Islamic periods. Copper mining was also evident here.

The smaller Wadi Beeyuth in between wadis Sarmuj and Hasa was also investigated. South of Wadi al-Hasa beyond the Nabataean/Roman fortress of Umm Tawabeen, a naqab track was identified at Wadi Abrash with evidence of pack animals still using it. MBII tombs were identified at all these wadis and mapped in.

In the Ghor es-Safi floor, survey was extended around Khirbet esh-Sheik ‘Isa and Tuleilat Qasr Mousa Hamid to more clearly identify the extent of these two settlement sites. The former medieval Islamic city is much more extensive than the current claimed antiquities property and additional lands need to be acquired. The latter also proved to be a more extensive Iron Age II site with evidence of Roman occupation. Finally, Ard Ramleh-Galeb, a new Nabataean/Roman cemetery site was identified at the mouth of the north bank of the Wadi al-Hasa.