Official Tall Jawa Archaeological Project, Volume 5

Survey in the area around Tall Jawa, south of Amman. Begun in 1989, the survey team worked for five seasons to identify and document rock-cut features in the surrounding fields that were most probably in use by the Iron Age and Late Byzantine-Early Islamic inhabitants of the walled town. This is accompanied by a study of pottery and objects from various periods, while an intensive study of the faunal remains leads to a better understanding of dietary and pastoral traditions practiced during the Iron Age.

Further exploration in the modern town to the east of the tall also yielded an early Roman tomb with radiating loculi that was well preserved although disturbed at various times. Also to the east, a modern town was represented by a group of abandoned buildings whose layout and architectural plan yielded information regarding family structure and social customs during the Late Ottoman and Early Mandate period. Modern development resulted in the destruction of all of these features, making their documentation the only remaining evidence for their creation and use by ancient and modern peoples.