New Excavation Blog: Tall Jalul

In my opinion, one of the sites in Jordan with the most potential is Tall Jalul.  The largest tell south of Amman, Jalul has not yet been identified with a biblical site (and there are plenty of names to choose from).  Five seasons of excavations have been conducted since 1992, and the site was occupied from the Late Bronze Age to the Persian period.  Discoveries include a paved approach ramp, two gatehouses, large tripartite building, clay figurines, and engraved seals.  You can read a longer summary here.

Excavations for the 2009 season will commence on May 25 and you can follow along on the new Tall Jalul Dig Blog.  They have already made several interesting posts, including a couple of (large) PowerPoints about the previous excavation seasons.  Among the interesting slides, there is a good aerial photograph of the tell on slide 27 of part 2.

Tall Jalul paved approach ramp to city gate, June 2004