Bishop's University
Wadi ath-Thamad Excavation Project
Summer Excavations and Field School
(June 15 - August 7, 2007)
Dr. Robert Chadwick
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE TRANSJORDAN: ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD METHODS
CONTENT
Students registered in this course will participate in a six-week archaeological expedition to central Jordan. Working under the supervision of R. Chadwick and his professional associates, students will be involved in the excavation and recording of artefacts recovered at Khirbat al-Mudayna, Jordan as part of the Wadi ath-Thamad Excavation Project. Students will learn to take elevations, draw top plans and baulk sections, write daily and weekly field reports, and related activities. During the season, students will take part in the educational program of the expedition, which will include seminars, lectures by visiting scholars on the archaeology and history of Jordan, plus field trips to museums, neighbouring excavations and major historical sites.
OBJECTIVES
- To train students in the current principals and methods of field excavation used by professional excavators in the eastern Mediterranean region and the Transjordan.
- To provide field experience that will enable students to develop basic excavation skills and mature as responsible field archaeologists with the ability to retrieve, analyze and record archaeological data in the field, and develop a basic knowledge of the history and culture of the region.
METHODS
Most of the course material will be taught on a daily basis in the field during the actual excavations. Other material will be presented in a number of modes including required readings, formal lectures, discussions and field trips. Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the following areas
- A working knowledge of the Wadi ath-Thamad Excavation Manual
- A proficiency in basic excavation methods such as taking elevations, drawing top plans and sections, writing daily reports and related activities.
- The interpretation of stratigraphy, architectural features and other physical remains recovered at the site.
ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION
- In order to prepare for the excavation experience, students will write a 2000-2500 word research paper about some aspect of Moabite history, or culture (for details see below). Papers may be written in either English or French. Papers are worth 25% of the final mark and must be prepared and handed in before leaving Canada for Jordan.
- Daily participation in all aspects of field work, especially careful excavation and processing of artefacts, including familiarity with the Wadi ath-Thamad Excavation Manual. (50%)
- A daily journal recording the progress of the excavation and the completion of various tasks carried out in the field. (25%)
REQUIRED READINGS
Readings will assigned by the instructor to each student according to the area of research chosen for the research paper. Most articles will come from the following sources and are available at the Bishop's University library.
The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Anchor Doubleday, N.Y., 1992; D. N. Freedman editor;
The Complete Manual of Field Archaeology, Martha Joukowsky, Prentice-Hall, N.J., 1980.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East, Eric Meyers, editor, Oxford, 1997.
The Art of Jordan, Piotr Bienkowski, Merseyside, 1991.
Archaeology and the Land of the Bible 10,000 BCE-586 BCE, Amihai Mazar, N.Y. Doubleday, 1990.
Benchmarks in Time and Culture. An Introduction to Palestinian Archaeology, J.F. Drinkard, G. Mattingly, J.M. Miller, Scholars Press, Atlanta, 1988.
Studies in the Mesha Inscription and Moab, Andrew Dearman editor, Scholars Press, Atlanta, 1989.
RESEARCH TOPICS
Papers should emphasize one of three main areas:
- Discuss the ancient Moabites and their relationship with their neighbours the Edomites, the Ammonites and the Israelites.
- Discuss the major works of art from the Transjordan such as the Moabite Stone, the Balu' à Stele, and the Shiân Stele. Describe and analyse these and other related works of art from the Iron Age. What do they tell us about the inhabitants of the Transjordan?
- The nature and structure of ancient societies in the Transjordan. Discuss the economy, government or religion of the region in the Iron Age (ca. 1200-300 BC).
- Architecture in the Wadi ath-Thamad region. You may choose from such architectural elements such as gates and entryways, fortifications, walls, and towers, or the architecture of houses, shrines and temples.
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