Gary A. Byers<\/b><\/p>\n
Tell el-ʾUmeiri sits at the point where the Madaba Plains join the Ammonite hills along a major ancient north-south route through the Jordanian plateau. Halfway between Amman and Tell Hesban, it is the southernmost fortifiable hill with water among the Ammonite mountains. The site consists of three distinct mounds 250 m apart, separated today by a wadi and the modern highway from Amman to the international airport. Only the western tell has been extensively investigated.<\/p>\n
Excavations undertaken at Tell el-ʾUmeiri are part of the Madaba Plains Project, under the auspices of Andrews University, Berrien Springs MI. Jointly directed by Lawrence Geraty and Larry Herr, excavations were initiated in 1984. Additional seasons were undertaken in 1987, 1989, 1992 and 1994.<\/p>\n
Bronze Age Finds<\/b><\/p>\n
This 16 acre site was completely covered with its first town in about 2500 BC (the Early Bronze Age). While no fortification walls for this period have yet been discovered, excavations have uncovered an organized town plan built along three terraces, with roads and dwellings. Taken together, the finds indicate an orderly, neat and efficient use of space and resources for perhaps the largest population the site ever saw. At least part of this stratum was destroyed and burned.<\/p>\n
The town was resettled on a smaller scale during the 19th century BC (the Middle Bronze Age). An earthen-built defensive rampart and 7 m wide dry moat from this period were uncovered along the edge of the tell. Unfortunately, none of the structures within the town have yet been found.<\/p>\n
City of the Judges Period<\/b><\/p>\n
Constructed above the Middle Bronze rampart, excavators found evidence of a later defensive system of the 12th century BC (Iron I period). On the western edge of the tell, in Field B, the impressive system included a lower retaining wall, a steep multi-layered rampart up the side of the mound and a \u201cproto-casemate\u201d wall at the top of the slope. This wall, along the top edge of the mound, was built of two parallel walls encircling the site, with intermittent cross walls connecting them. This created an outer <\/p>\n
BSP<\/i> 8:4 (Autumn 1995) p. 109<\/p>\n
wall around the top of the site which resembled a circle of attached rooms (\u201ccasemates\u201d).<\/p>\n
One casemate room, completely cleared in the excavation, was constructed of stone walls with a second story of mudbrick. The crushed remains of approximately 15 large collared-rim storejars rested on the floor of the room. Most of these jars, measuring about 1 m in height, were restorable and demonstrated a wide range of variation among features. Important for archaeologists, this will provide new understanding about their relationship in contemporaneous use. Bio-samples from the room indicate the jars were utilized for the storage of agricultural produce.<\/p>\n
Immediately inside the casemate wall were two adjacent rooms. The outer room, to the west, shared a common wall with the casemate room. This room was paved with large unworked flagstones. Resting against the wall shared with the casemate room was an undecorated standing stone (20 cm thick, 50 cm wide and 1 m high). A large flat-topped boulder was found oriented perpendicular and directly in front of it. Excavators suggest this must have been a cultic installation of some kind, possibly a private shrine.<\/p>\n
Some of the collared-rim storejars found in the casemate room
of the Iron I defensive system at Tell <\/b>el-ʾUmeiri<\/b>.<\/b><\/p>\n
Directly to the east of this room was a row of three flat-topped boulders in a north-south line. These stones were likely bases for wood posts which supported the roof or a second story. This line of posts was probably incorporated into a low stone curtain wall dividing the paved western room from another room on the east. In the eastern room, finds included a small bench, <\/p>\n
BSP<\/i> 8:4 (Autumn 1995) p. 110<\/p>\n
a stone-ringed cooking hearth, a large basalt mortar with associated grinding stone, and a cobble-surface storage bin on the beaten earth floor. All these furnishings demonstrate domestic food-preparation activity.<\/p>\n
Excavations in 1994 cleared an adjacent room of the proto-casemate wall to the north. Here, 30 additional collared-rim storejars were discovered. While all were totally smashed, most could be reconstructed. Many of the jars still lined the walls where they once stood, while others apparently tumbled from the second story. Most jars probably contained the burned and charred barley which was found mixed among the pottery sherds and the charred bones of an old man and a youth on the flagstone floor of the room.<\/p>\n
Walls of neighboring rooms were found still preserved over 2 m high. East of the casemate room, to the interior of the site, was another pillared room. Connected to the casemate room by a doorway, this room measured approximately 6×7 m. Surviving post bases, four in one row and two in another, indicate parallel east-west rows of posts which supported the roof or a second story.<\/p>\n
Based on the pottery (especially collared-rim storejars and cooking pots) found in all these rooms, the excavators determined that the defensive system was constructed near the end of the 13th or beginning of the 12th century BC. Its destruction appears to be dated to the mid-12th century BC.<\/p>\n
Significance of Tell <\/b>el-ʾUmeiri<\/b><\/p>\n
The finds from Tell el-ʾUmeiri are of great importance for study of the ancient kingdom of Ammon. They provide some of the region\u2019s earliest evidence of a fortified city at the time the Israelites were becoming sedentary. Because the excavated material from ʾUmeiri (collared-rim storejars, cooking pots and wooden roof supports in houses) is very similar to what has been found in early Israelite settlements, it also provides valuable parallels for study of the Israelite settlement. Yet, the strongly constructed defensive system is unlike anything known in western Palestine during the same period.<\/p>\n
The ancient name of the site is yet unknown, as well as the exact nature of its 12th century BC destruction. Yet, the strategic location and impressive fortifications suggest it was an important player in the events of the period. Hopefully, future excavations will provide greater understanding of the site, its inhabitants, the ancient kingdom of Ammon and even the Israelite settlement of Canaan.<\/p>\n
References<\/b><\/p>\n
Clark, D. R.<\/p>\n
1994 The Iron I Western Defense System at Tell El-ʾUmeiri, Jordan. Biblical Archaeologist<\/i> 57:138\u201348.<\/p>\n
Herr, L. G.<\/p>\n
1994 War and Peace at Tell El-ʾUmeiri, Institute of Archaeology\/Horn Archaeological<\/i> Museum Newsletter<\/i> 15:1.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gary A. Byers Tell el-ʾUmeiri sits at the point where the Madaba Plains join the Ammonite hills along a major ancient north-south route through the Jordanian plateau. Halfway between Amman and Tell Hesban, it is the southernmost fortifiable hill with water among the Ammonite mountains. The site consists of three distinct mounds 250 m apart, … Continue reading “TELL
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