Wednesday, June 20, 2012

June 20th to July 3rd

The last 2 weeks traveling around Jordan with my sister Lynne and her friend Mary have been simply wonderful.  We have been able to see almost the whole country, and together we have explored all the remarkable historical sites such as Petra, Jerash, Umm Qais, the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.  We also had the privilege of meeting many Jordanians in their homes and work places – a carpenter in his humble workshop, a blacksmith, and an elderly man operating a simple flour mill.  We were invited to visit a farmer, Saad Rabardi and his family.  They seemed self-sufficient with goats for their mild and yoghurt, chickens for their eggs, a wheat field to grow their grain, a small vineyard from which they produce their wine and a large olive grove that provides them with their main source of income.  They invited us into their home and treated us to a marvelous mid-morning snack of tea, bread, yogurt and labeneh.  He is a Christian and was proud of the wine he makes from his vineyard.  He offered us a taste but it turned out to be a very potent port, and I had some difficulty disguising my surprise at the beverage because of his warm hospitality.  Even if I had been a seasoned wine drinker I am sure that a couple of glasses of the stuff would have been enough to put me on a life support machine.
Here are several photos from Jordan
The Roman Road in Jerash.  See the ruts in the limestone paving from the wheels of the chariots, and notice the man hole cover that gave access to an underground drainage system

Enjoying the warm hospitality of the farmer Saad Rabardi and his wife and son -  with Lynne, Mary and our driver Fathi

Some beautful mosics on the floor of an old Byzantine chuch in Madaba

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Jordan Dig

On July 4th, I will be joining some archeologists from La Sierra University on an archeological dig in Jordan.  The team of between 50 and 60 enthusiastic faculty and students will be headed by Dr. Douglas Clark, a faculty member at LSU.  I will be posting regular reports on this blog from the dig site with news about the people, the site, and interesting artifacts that we hope will be found.

The site is to be at the Tall al Umayri situated on the Madaba Plains just south of Amman.  You can read  more detail about the project on the website madabaplains.org.

Before joining the archeologists at the dig, I will be spending a few days traveling in Jordan with my sister Lynne Bellville and her friend Mary Aqleh.

Why am I doing this?  There are several reasons, but perhaps the best answer is expressed in the Arabic saying -           
which means -  Don't abandon your dreams.  I have always had a peripheral, amateur interest in ancient civilizations in the Middle East and in biblical history, and for the first time ever I now have a chance to seriously pursue that interest through a personal, hands on experience.  So, let's do it!

This trip will also provide the opportunity for me to revisit some of the remarkable and stunning sites in Jordan.  Here are a couple of samples of photographs from my previous visits to Jordan.

The Treasury at Petra

The Roman City of Jerash - The Forum and Main Street
The excavations at Umayri will begin on July 5 after a detailed orientation by the archeologists.  Before that, I will be travelling around Jordan enjoying the remarkable sites of the country and wonderful hospitality of its people.  I plan to post here regular reports on life and events of the dig for colleagues and friends.