MEGA-Jordan Site Report

Primary Site name: HESBAN

Other Site Names: ESBUS, Hesban, JADIS: 2213001, حسبان, Esbus, Tall Hesban

Governorate: AMMAN Sub-governorate: Hesban

MEGA Number: 2735

Site Map:

Coordinates (Long Lat): 35.80858 31.80173, 35.80922 31.80253, 35.80934 31.80285, 35.80973 31.80285, 35.81012 31.80218, 35.81041 31.80142, 35.81046 31.80113, 35.81039 31.80073, 35.81006 31.80003, 35.80974 31.79976, 35.80926 31.79949, 35.80883 31.7995, 35.80845 31.79937, 35.80808 31.79918, 35.8076 31.79913, 35.80744 31.79944, 35.80744 31.79968, 35.80759 31.80005, 35.80772 31.80045, 35.80833 31.80146, 35.80858 31.80173

Total Area (m²): 69389.9; Perimeter (m): 1095.4

Buffer Zone (m): 0

Period(s) Recorded for Site:

9019 (Early Bronze I); 9020 (Early Bronze II); 9031 (Iron Age I); 9032 (Iron Age IIa-b); 9033 (Iron Age IIc); 9034 (Iron Age III (Persian)); 9035 (Iron Age, Unspecified); 9036 (Hellenistic, Early); 9038 (Hellenistic, Late); 9039 (Hellenistic, Unspecified); 9044 (Roman, Early); 9045 (Roman, Late); 9046 (Roman, Unspecified); 9047 (Byzantine, Early); 9049 (Byzantine, Unspecified); 9050 (Islamic, Umayyad); 9051 (Islamic, Abbasid); 9053 (Islamic, Ayyubid); 9054 (Islamic, Mamluk); 9058 (Ottoman, Late); 9059 (Ottoman, Unspecified); 9060 (Modern (1915-1950)); 9999 (Unspecified/Unknown Period)

DoA Office Responsible:

Amman Antiquities Office

Site Investigators:

Investigator(s): 2007-2008 Data, DOA; Bethany Walker, University of Bonn

Investigation Date: None

Site Comments: [e.g., accuracy of coordinates; directions to Site]

located on Naur road from Amman to Madaba. Visible from this road, but difficult to find once one arrives in the village (a sign is needed form the main road to guide visitors there)

Site Significance:

Scientific Value	well preserved medieval Islamic site, multi-period - long occupation from Iron Age (and lithics evidence from Paleolithic)
Historical Value	important town and rural citadel of Mamluk period (capital of the Balqa in 14th century), associated in Umayyad period with the Fudayni revolt, mentioned many times in medieval Arabic sources as a center of education, Byzantine bishopric, large Roman town, visited by Salah al-Din and two Mamluk sultans
Aesthetic Value	well preserved architecture of Byzantine and Islamic periods. Excellent view of Madaba Plains, Jerusalem, Jericho, and Mt. Nebo
Social Value	located in the modern village; popular place for family visits and evening walks, because of its view
Spiritual Value	important associations for Muslims and Christians

Surveys:

Record History:

Last Modified By Samar Habahbeh

Last Modified On June 7, 2016

Record Created By ORIGINAL IMPORT

Record Created On July 1, 2010

Record Review Status:

Status: Under Review

Reviewer: None

Review Date: None

Comments:

The following 52 site element(s) have been recognized at this site:

MEGA Number	Element Type	Period(s) Recorded for Site Element:
15599	817 Nymphaeum	9054 Islamic, Mamluk
15600	201 Agricultural Terrace	9054 Islamic, Mamluk
15601	513 Settlement, Fortified	9039 Hellenistic, Unspecified
15602	301 Church/Chapel	9047 Byzantine, Early
15603	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9031 Iron Age I
15604	308 Temple	9045 Roman, Late
15605	414 Sarcophagus/Stone Anthropode Coffin	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15606	703 Inscription, Greek	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15607	838 Water Structure, Reservoir (Birket)	9035 Iron Age, Unspecified 9034 Iron Age III (Persian)
15608	825 Statue/Sculpture/Bas-Relief	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15609	902 Sherd/Flint Scatter or Other Material Culture (Excavated)	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15610	899 Unspecified/Unknown General Site Element (Specify)	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15611	902 Sherd/Flint Scatter or Other Material Culture (Excavated)	9051 Islamic, Abbasid
15612	513 Settlement, Fortified	9036 Hellenistic, Early
15613	821 Road	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15614	902 Sherd/Flint Scatter or Other Material Culture (Excavated)	9036 Hellenistic, Early
15615	835 Water Structure, Cistern	9035 Iron Age, Unspecified 9034 Iron Age III (Persian)
15617	204 Mill	9046 Roman, Unspecified
15618	505 Cave/Shelter	9038 Hellenistic, Late
15619	605 Quarry	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15620	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9032 Iron Age IIa-b
15621	821 Road	9045 Roman, Late
15622	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9033 Iron Age IIc
15623	835 Water Structure, Cistern	9046 Roman, Unspecified
15624	901 Sherd/Flint Surface Scatter (Unexcavated)	9020 Early Bronze II
15625	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9060 Modern (1915-1950)
15626	506 Fortress	9044 Roman, Early
15627	513 Settlement, Fortified	9045 Roman, Late
15628	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9019 Early Bronze I
15629	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9049 Byzantine, Unspecified
15630	709 Inscription, Thamudic	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15631	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9054 Islamic, Mamluk
15632	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9050 Islamic, Umayyad
15633	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15634	505 Cave/Shelter	9058 Ottoman, Late
15636	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9035 Iron Age, Unspecified 9034 Iron Age III (Persian)
15637	505 Cave/Shelter	9044 Roman, Early
15638	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9053 Islamic, Ayyubid
15639	513 Settlement, Fortified	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15640	514 Settlement, No Fortifications (Village)	9058 Ottoman, Late
15641	513 Settlement, Fortified	9038 Hellenistic, Late
15635	203 Hamlet/Farmstead/Farmhouse	9999 Unspecified/Unknown Period
15616	301 Church/Chapel	9049 Byzantine, Unspecified
59339	833 Wall, unspecified	9054 Islamic, Mamluk
59340	833 Wall, unspecified	9054 Islamic, Mamluk
59341	833 Wall, unspecified	9053 Islamic, Ayyubid
59363	835 Water Structure, Cistern	9046 Roman, Unspecified
59365	515 Tower	9054 Islamic, Mamluk
59364	603 Kiln	9059 Ottoman, Unspecified
59836	833 Wall, unspecified	9054 Islamic, Mamluk
59837	835 Water Structure, Cistern	9045 Roman, Late
59838	833 Wall, unspecified	9054 Islamic, Mamluk

Site References:

Primary Author	Date	Title
BOESSNECK J. & VON DEN DRIESCH A.	1978	Preliminary analysis of the animal bones from Tell Hesban
BOESSNECK J. & VON DEN DRIESCH A.	1981	Erste Ergebnisse unserer Bestimmungsarbeit an den Tierknochenfunden vom Tell Hesban / Jordanien
BORAAS R.S. & GERATY L.T.	1978	eds., Heshbon 1976 : The Fifth Campaign at Tell Hesban, A Preliminary Report , Berrien Springs. (= AUM Studies in Religion 10)
BORAAS R.S. & GERATY L.T.	1976	eds., Heshbon 1974 : The Fourth Campaign at Tell Hesban, A Preliminary Report , Berrien Springs. (= AUM Studies in Religion 9)
BORAAS R.S. & GERATY L.T.	1979	The Long Life of Tell Hesban, Jordan
BORAAS R.S. & HORN S.H.	1975	eds., Heshbon 1973 : The Third Campaign at Tell Hesban, A Preliminary Report , Berrien Springs. (= AUM Studies in Relition 8)
BORAAS R.S. & HORN S.H.	1973	eds., Heshbon 1971 : The Second Campaign at Tell Hesban, A Preliminary Report , Berrien Springs. (= AUM Studies in Religion 6)
BORAAS R.S. ET AL.	1969	The First Campaign at Tell Hesban (1968)
BORAAS R.S. ET AL.	1976	The Fourth Campaign at Tell Hesban (1974)
BORAAS R.S. ET AL.	1978	The Fifth Campaign at Tell Hesban (1976)
BULLARD R.G.	1972	Geological Study of the Heshbon Area
BURCKHARDT J.L.	1822	Travels in Syria and the Holy Land, 1812 , London.
BURCKHARDT J.L.	1831	Notes on the Beduins and Wahabys , London.
CONDER C.R.	1889	Heth and Moab. Explorations in Syria in 1881 and 1882 , London.
CONDER C.R.	1889	The Survey of Eastern Palestine I : The 'Adwan Country , London.
CROSS F.M.	1973	Heshbon Ostracon II
CROSS F.M.	1969	An Ostracon from Heshbon
CROSS F.M.	1975	Ammonite Ostraca from Heshbon : Heshbon Ostraca IV-VIII
CROSS F.M.	1976	Heshbon Ostracon XI
CROSS F.M.	1979	ed., Symposia Celebrating the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the Founding of the American Schools of Oriental Research (1900-1975), Cambridge.
GERATY L.T.	1975	Chronique archeologique : Hesban (Heshbon)
GERATY L.T.	1975	The 1974 Season of Excavations at Tell Hesban
GLUECK N.	1933	Explorations in Eastern Palestine I , Philadelphia. (AASOR 14 =EEP 1)
IRBY C.L. & MANGLES J.	1823	Travels in Egypt and Nubia, Syria and the Holy Land during the Years 1817 and 1818 , London.
KRITZECK J.A. & NITOWSKI E.L.	1980	The Rolling Stone Tomb F 1 at Tell Hesban
LABIANCA O.S.	1973	The Zooarchaeological Remains from Tell Hesban
LABIANCA O.S.	1976	The Village of Hesban : An Ethnographic Preliminary Report
Labianca, O. & Ray Jr, P.	1999	Madaba Plains Project 1997: Excavations and Restoration Work at Tall Hisban and Vicinity.
LAWLOR J.I.	1979	The 1978 Hesban North Church Project
LAWLOR J.I.	1979	Chronique Archeologique : Hesban (Heshbon) 1978
LE STRANGE G.	1886	A Ride through 'Ajlun und the Belka during the Autumn of 1884 =SCHUMACHER,p.268-323.
MERRILL S.	1881	East of the Jordan : a Record of Travel and Observation in the Countries of Moab, Gilead, and Bashan , London,New York.
MERRILL S.	1876	Letter from Rev. Selah Merrill
MITCHEL L.A.	1982	The Hellenistic and Roman Periods at Tell Hesban, Jordan
MUSIL A.	1908	Arabia Petraea. I: Moab, II: Edom. Topographischer Reisebericht, Wien.
SAUER J.A.	1978	Area B and Square D.4 = BORAAS et alii,
SAUER J.A.	1973	Heshbon Pottery 1971. A Preliminary Report on the Pottery from the 1971 Excavations at Tell Hesban , Berrien Springs. (= AUM Studies in Religion 7)
SAUER J.A.	1978	ACOR, Amman : Director's Report 1977-78
SEETZEN U.J.	1813	A Brief Account of the Countries adjoining the Lake of Tiberias,the Jordan and the Dead Sea , London.
SHEA W.H.	1977	Ostracon II from Heshbon
STORFJELL J.B.	1983	The Stratigraphy of Tell Hesban, Jordan, in the Byzantine Period, Berrien Springs. (Unbpublished Thesis - Microfilm)
TERIAN A.	1971	Coins from the 1968 Excavations at Heshbon
TERIAN A.	1974	Coins from the 1971 Excavations at Heshbon
TERIAN A.	1980	Coins from the 1976 Excavations at Heshbon
THOMPSON H.O.	1969	The First Campaign at Tell Hesban. Area C
THOMPSON H.O.	1975	The Third Campaign at Tell Hesban : Area C
THOMPSON H.O.	1973	The Second Campaign at Tell Hesban : Area C
TRISTRAM H.B.	1873	The Land of Moab. Travels and Discoveries on the East Side of the Dead Sea and the Jordan , London.
VAN ELDEREN B.	1978	Area A = BORAAS et alii,
VYHMEISTER W.	1968	The History of Heshbon from Literary Sources
WARREN C.	1870	Expedition to the East of Jordan, July and August, 1867
WATERHOUSE S.D.	1973	Areas E and F
WATERHOUSE S.D. & IBACH R.	1975	Heshbon 1973 : The Topographical Survey
WIMMER D.H.	1978	Area G.4,13,15

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This report summarizes the existing information in the system and should never be regarded as a final statement on the archaeological site being considered, nor should it be substituted for an on-site survey.