Callirhoe, Nahal Arnon, Bab edh-Dhra, Numeira, and more

Callirhoe, Nahal Arnon, Bab edh-Dhra, Numeira, and more
Dead Sea: East Side This presentation begins with some aerial views and continues from north to south: Wadi Zarqa Main, Callirhoe, Nahal Arnon, Bab edh-Dhra, Numeira, Safi, Deir Ain Abata, Khirbet Feifeh, and Khirbet Khanazir. The Pictorial Library of Bible Lands provides PowerPoint files in addition to individual jpg images. The PowerPoint files are organized in logical sequence and may provide a quicker option for copying slides into other presentations. The PowerPoint files also include annotations about the sites and images that are not available elsewhere. The images in the PowerPoints are approximately 1024x768 pixels, the maximum size displayed by many projectors. Users will particularly benefit from accessing the individual higher-resolution jpg images if (1) they have a projection system higher than 1024x768; (2) they want to zoom in on a particular portion of an image; or (3) they want to crop, edit, adapt, or print an image. Callirhoe, Nahal Arnon, Bab edh-Dhra, Numeira, and more

Pictorial Library Vol. 6: Jordan
This map is intended to help users locate the places which appear in the photographs in this presentation. The map therefore does not represent or label every geographic feature, and the sites are a mixture of modern and ancient place names. Pictorial Library Vol. 6: Jordan

Pictorial Library Vol. 6:
This map is intended to help users locate the places which appear in the photographs in this presentation. The map therefore does not represent or label every geographic feature, and the sites are a mixture of modern and ancient place names. Pictorial Library Vol. 6: Gilead & Medeba

Pictorial Library Vol. 6: Edom & Moab
This map is intended to help users locate the places which appear in the photographs in this presentation. The map therefore does not represent or label every geographic feature, and the sites are a mixture of modern and ancient place names. Pictorial Library Vol. 6: Edom & Moab

Dead Sea and Wadi Zarqa Main aerial from west
The Wadi Zarqa Main is a large system that drains the Medeba Plateau and empties at the Dead Sea near ancient Callirhoe. The wadi runs north of biblical Ataroth and the Herodian fortress of Macherus. See the next slide for a label. tb Dead Sea and Wadi Zarqa Main aerial from west

Dead Sea and Wadi Zarqa Main aerial from west
The Wadi Zarqa Main is a large system that drains the Medeba Plateau and empties at the Dead Sea near ancient Callirhoe. The wadi runs north of biblical Ataroth and the Herodian fortress of Macherus. tb Dead Sea and Wadi Zarqa Main aerial from west

Dead Sea and Wadi Zarqa Main aerial near Macherus
tb

Dead Sea view east from Macherus
The eastern cliffs of the Judean wilderness are visible on the other side of the Dead Sea. tb Dead Sea view east from Macherus

Dead Sea from east near Macherus
Clear days like this are too rare. The Dead Sea basin is often filled with a haze that can make it difficult to see to the other side, even when standing on the shoreline. tb Dead Sea from east near Macherus

En Gedi and Dead Sea from east near Macherus
En Gedi is the oasis visible on the opposite side of the Dead Sea. See the next slide for labels. tb En Gedi and Dead Sea from east near Macherus

En Gedi and Dead Sea from east near Macherus
Nahal Arugot Nahal David En Gedi is the oasis visible on the opposite side of the Dead Sea. tb En Gedi En Gedi and Dead Sea from east near Macherus

Judean wilderness and Dead Sea from east
This photo reveals some of the obstacles that invaders from the north would have in approaching Judah. First, there’s the Dead Sea that impedes access. Then there are the steep cliffs along the shoreline. Finally, the dry and uninhabited Judean wilderness does not provide easy passage. Throughout its history, Judah was usually invaded from the north or the west, but not from the east (but see 2 Chr 20 for an exception). tb Judean wilderness and Dead Sea from east

The hills of Jordan are green in March following the winter rains
The hills of Jordan are green in March following the winter rains. Within weeks, hot winds will come out of the desert and dry up the grass, turning everything brown (cf. Isa 40:7; Ps 103:15-16). tb Dead Sea from east

The Jordan Rift is a portion of the Syro-African Rift which chisels its way through the earth’s crust for more than 4,000 air miles (6,400 km), across 60 degrees of latitude, and for one-sixth of the earth’s circumference. tb Dead Sea from east

Dead Sea from east panorama
The lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea is located at 1,300 feet (406 m) below sea level. That number keeps changing, as the level of the Dead Sea goes down with the lack of water coming in from the Dead Sea. tb p Dead Sea from east panorama

Unlike the Sea of Galilee to the north, the Dead Sea does not figure prominently in the biblical narratives. Its most important role was as a barrier, blocking traffic to Judah from the east. Second Chronicles 20 records that an advancing army of Ammonites and Moabites apparently crossed a shallow part of the Dead Sea on their way to attack King Jehoshaphat. Ezekiel prophesied that one day the Dead Sea will be fresh water and fishermen will spread their nets along its shore (Ezek 47:1-10). tb Dead Sea from east

Dead Sea from east Names of the Dead Sea
This body of water has only been known as the “Dead Sea” since the Roman period. In the Bible, the Dead Sea is known most often as the “Salt Sea.” It is sometimes referred to as the “Sea of the Arabah,” denoting the region in which it is located. Apocryphal, Classical, Talmudic, and Arab authors refer to it variously as the “Sea of Sodom,” the “Sea of Lot,” the “Sea of Asphalt,” and the “Stinking Sea.” In Greco-Roman times, the sea was known as the “Pitch Sea” because of the bitumen that was extracted from it. In the Crusader period, it was sometimes called the “Devil’s Sea.” tb Dead Sea from east

The hottest recorded temperature along the Dead Sea is 124º F (51º C).
tb Dead Sea from east

Because of the aridity (the area receives an average annual rainfall in the north of only 5 inches [13 cm], and in the south, 2 inches [5 cm]) and the enormous heat, the rate of evaporation is extremely high. Seven million tons of water evaporate from the Dead Sea every day. tb Dead Sea from east

Dead Sea eastern shoreline from south
tb Dead Sea eastern shoreline from south

Dead Sea eastern shore with salt deposits
The Dead Sea is known in the Bible as the “Salt Sea” or the “Sea of the Arabah.” This inland body of water is appropriately named because its high mineral content allows nothing but a few microorganisms to live in its waters. tb Dead Sea eastern shore with salt deposits

Dead Sea from southeast
tb Dead Sea from southeast

Dead Sea eastern shoreline from south
tb Dead Sea eastern shoreline from south

The Dead Sea is known in the Bible as the “Salt Sea” or the “Sea of the Arabah.” This inland body of water is appropriately named because its high mineral content allows nothing to live in its waters. The lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea is 1,300 feet (405 m) below sea level. At its deepest point, in the northeast, a depth of about 1,270 feet (395 m) has been recorded. Therefore, the total depth of the Dead Sea is approximately 2,570 feet (805 m) below sea level. The Dead Sea is more than 40 miles (64 km) in length and 11 miles (18 km) in width at its widest point, and is bordered by sharp cliffs on the east and west. Nearly ten times as salty as the world’s oceans and twice as saline as the Great Salt Lake in Utah, the Dead Sea is rich with minerals. Potash is the most valuable of those extracted today, and is used in the manufacture of fertilizer. tb

Salinity of the Dead Sea The sea has a high saline content for a number of reason: The Dead Sea has no outlet, and has a very large catchment area from Mt. Hermon to the Judean Hill Country. There is a high rate of evaporation, and only the water evaporates, which leaves the minerals behind. Springs in the region and below the water surface have a high mineral content. These, however, account for only a relatively small amount of the Dead Sea’s salinity. All of these factors combine to produce a total water salinity that varies between 26 and 35 percent, which means that the Dead Sea is the earth’s most saline body of water. The Dead Sea is devoid of all aquatic life, aside from a few bacteria and parasites; fish that are carried into the Dead Sea by the Jordan River die immediately. tb

tb Dead Sea eastern shore with salt deposits

Dead Sea eastern shoreline
tb Dead Sea eastern shoreline

Dead Sea from east during rainstorm
tb Dead Sea from east during rainstorm

Wadi Zarqa Main near Hammamat Main
The Wadi Zarqa Main is a large system that drains the Medeba Plateau and empties at the Dead Sea near ancient Callirhoe. The wadi runs north of biblical Ataroth and the Herodian fortress of Macherus. tb

Wadi Zarqa Main near Hammat Main
tb

Hammamat Main The hot springs at Hammamat Main have been popular with visitors throughout history. In recent years a hotel resort was constructed in the area. tb

Hammamat Main mosque tb

Hammamat Main waterfalls
The hot springs of Hammamat Main are 640 feet (200 m) below sea level and the water is very hot. tb

The hot springs of Hammamat Main are located 5 miles (8 km) east of the Dead Sea. tb

Along with Callirhoe, these hot springs are depicted on the Medeba map, known at the time as Baaras. tb

tb

Famous in antiquity, the hot springs of Callirhoe were depicted on the Medeba map, and were visited by King Herod at the end of his life. Alternate spellings for the site include Callirrhoe and Kallirhoë. tb Callirhoe hot springs

Callirhoe hot springs There are more than sixty springs of varying temperatures in the area. Water from the hottest spring measures 143° F (62° C). tb

Callirhoe hot springs Josephus’ Description of Herod’s Illness and Visit “After this, the distemper seized upon his whole body, and greatly disordered all its parts with various symptoms; for there was a gentle fever upon him, and an intolerable itching over all the surface of his body, and continual pains in his colon, and dropsical tumors about his feet and an inflammation of the abdomen,—and a putrefication of his privy member, that produced worms. Besides which he had a difficulty of breathing upon him, and could not breathe but when he sat upright, and had a convulsion of all his members; insomuch that the diviners said those diseases were a punishment upon him for what he had done to the rabbis. Yet did he struggle with his numerous disorders, and still had a desire to live, and hoped for recovery, and considered of several methods of cure. Accordingly, he went over Jordan, and made use of those hot baths at Callirrhoe, which run into the lake Asphaltitis, but are themselves sweet enough to be drank. And here the physicians thought proper to bathe his whole body in warm oil, by letting it down into a large vessel full of oil; whereupon his eyes failed him, and he came and went as if he were dying, and as a tumult was then made by his servants, at their voice he revived again. Yet did he after this despair of recovery, and gave orders that each soldier should have fifty drachmae apiece, and that his commanders and friends should have great sums of money given them. He then returned back and came to Jericho…” (War ; § ). tb

Callirhoe harbor excavations
The site was first identified as Callirhoe by Ulrich Seetzen in 1807, and recent excavations have revealed remains of a harbor and a Herodian villa. The harbor is evidence of ancient boat traffic on the Dead Sea. It is likely that Herod the Great traveled here by boat at the end of his life. tb

Callirhoe excavations from south
tb Callirhoe excavations from south

Callirhoe excavations from west
tb Callirhoe excavations from west

Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from east
Archaeologists have uncovered several ancient villas at Callirhoe, first built in the Early Roman (Herodian) period. One large villa had two buildings with a central courtyard. Of those buildings, one had a plastered pool which received its water via a channel coming from a spring to the east. The site was apparently destroyed in the Jewish Revolt (AD 70). tb Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from east

tb Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from east

Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from northeast
tb Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from northeast

tb Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from east

Callirhoe Herodian palace remains
Shown as three buildings with palm trees, Callirhoe is depicted on the Medeba map with the caption “the hot springs of Callirhoe.” tb

Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from west
tb Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from west

Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from northwest
tb Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from northwest

Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from north
tb Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from north

Callirhoe Herodian palace remains from north
tb

Callirhoe plastered reservoir in Herodian palace
tb Callirhoe plastered reservoir in Herodian palace

Callirhoe column drums in Herodian palace
tb Callirhoe column drums in Herodian palace

Nahal Arnon aerial from west
Though the Nahal Arnon is a two-mile-wide valley inland, it exits into the Dead Sea in a narrow gorge. See the next slide for labels. tb Nahal Arnon aerial from west

(Wadi Mujib) Wadi Hidan Moab Medeba Plateau Though the Nahal Arnon is a two-mile-wide valley inland, it exits into the Dead Sea in a narrow gorge. tb mouth of Nahal Arnon Nahal Arnon aerial from west

tb Nahal Arnon aerial from west

Nahal Arnon mouth, entering Dead Sea
tb Nahal Arnon mouth, entering Dead Sea

Nahal Arnon with bridge
That the government built such a large bridge reflects the concern that a strong current flowing down the Arnon in a rainstorm would destroy a lesser bridge. tb Nahal Arnon with bridge

Nahal Arnon mouth with new dam
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Nahal Arnon mouth with new dam
This photo was taken when construction was underway to establish this as a tourist site. Now visitors can pay an entrance fee to access the canyon and hike upstream. tb Nahal Arnon mouth with new dam

Nahal Arnon flowing stream with canyon walls
tb Nahal Arnon flowing stream with canyon walls

tb Nahal Arnon

Lot's wife pillar on eastern shore of Dead Sea
This rock column has been traditionally identified as the wife of Lot. Scripture records that Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt after she looked back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:26). tb Lot's wife pillar on eastern shore of Dead Sea

Lot's wife pillar on eastern shore of Dead Sea
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Bab edh-Dhra view of Dead Sea
The city of Bab edh-Dhra is on the southeastern corner of the Dead Sea, on the south bank of Wadi Kerak. Bab edh-Dhra is located on the lisan, and there is a road leading to the mountains of Moab, the Kir of the Bible. Its name means “Gate of the Arm.” The site of Bab edh-Dhra was explored in 1924 by W.F. Albright and E.L. Sukenik. They discovered Early Bronze (EB) pottery and some tombs, although the town site itself remained undiscovered. Albright theorized that the cities of the plain were located under the waters at the southern end of the Dead Sea, and that Bab edh-Dhra was a cultic center for one of those cities. tbs

Bab edh-Dhra from west Bab edh-Dhra Excavations
Still unaware of the existence of a walled city at the site, Paul Lapp excavated in the vast cemetery at Bab edh-Dhra in In 1973, Walter Rast and R. Thomas Schaub conducted a survey of the region, and were able to establish not only that Bab edh-Dhra was a walled city during the Early Bronze age, but that four additional Early Bronze cities existed in a line to the south of Bab edh-Dhra—Numeira, Safi (Zoar), Feifeh, and Khanazir. Each city was located along a water source that emptied into the Dead Sea, and each is located on the perimeter of the Dead Sea basin. Rast and Schaub conducted excavations at the first two sites, Bab edh-Dhra and Numeira in , and a follow-up season in explored Feifeh and Khanazir. Initial excavation reports from both Lapp and Rast and Schaub have appeared in the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, and final excavation reports have been published by Eisenbrauns. tb

Bab edh-Dhra and Wadi Kerak view northwest
Bab edh-Dhra Site Identification Bab edh-Dhra has been suggested as one of the five “cities of the plain” mentioned in Genesis 13 and 19, and has been suggested by some to be the city of Sodom. The city was able to support six hundred to a thousand people, and it eventually became a major burial ground. Whether or not Bab edh-Dhra (Arabic, “Gate of the Arm”) can be equated with a biblical city is disputed. Scholars since W. F. Albright have been intrigued by these remains of the 3rd millennium BC, in the proximity of where the biblical “Cities of the Plain” were apparently located. Some scholars, such as Bryant Wood, believe that the five Early Bronze cities on the south end of the Dead Sea must be equated with the five “Cities of the Plain.” They argue that Bab edh-Dhra likely was Sodom, that Numeira preserves the name of Gomorrah, and the other three cities are those less well-known. One difficulty with this identification is that most scholars date the destruction of these cities to the end of the Early Bronze Age, which is typically dated to c BC. The biblical date for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone is c. 2070, a difference of more than 200 years. What cannot be disputed, however, is the remarkable coincidence that the five contemporary third millennium cities are situated in the general area of the biblical Cities of the Plain. tb

Lisan and Wadi Kerak view to west from Bab edh-Dhra
tb Lisan and Wadi Kerak view to west from Bab edh-Dhra

Bab edh-Dhra EBIII western gate
Scripture References for the Cities of the Plain: Lot chose the “well-watered” plain of the Jordan as his dwelling place, pitching his tents near Sodom (Gen 13:10-12). A four king coalition from Mesopotamia, led by Chedorlaomer, marched against the five kings of the Cities of the Plain in order to crush their revolt. Scripture records that they fought in the “Valley of Siddim (the Salt Sea),” an important clue to the location of these cities. As they fled, kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fell into the tar pits located in this valley. The Mesopotamian kings prevailed and carried the goods of the cities off, including Lot and his possessions (Gen 14). Approximately twenty years later, God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness by raining down burning sulfur upon them. In this way “he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.” Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt (Gen 19). tb

A 22 foot (7 m) stone wall dating to the Early Bronze III was uncovered at the eastern and western ends of the town site. On the east end, an earlier mud-brick wall was exposed under the stone wall. tb

Peak of Occupation The town peaked in Early Bronze III when it reached a size of 10 acres and a population of about 1000 people. The town site at Bab edh-Dhra was occupied from the Early Bronze I-III, and was surrounded by a massive wall during the Early Bronze III. The town was violently destroyed at the end of the Early Bronze III, and excavations revealed a layer of ash and destruction debris a meter thick. In places the ash can still be scooped from the surface by hand. Sparse inhabitation during the Early Bronze IV was outside of the town-site, and the site was abandoned completely after the Early Bronze IV. tb

Bab edh-Dhra mudbricks by west gate
tb

Bab edh-Dhra Early Bronze tombs
Bab edh-Dhra: Numerous Tombs An estimated 20,000 tombs are located at Bab Edh-Dhra, including the remains of approximately 500,000 people and over 3 million pottery vessels. The first of the burials date to about 3200 BC. A number of different types of tombs are found at Bab Edh-Dhra, including tumuli, shaft tombs, surface burials, and tombs with stone lined shafts. Charnel Houses - In the Early Bronze Age III, the people started burying their dead in rectangular mud-brick funerary buildings, used for both primary and secondary burials. Rectangular Cists - These cists consist of graves dug into the limestone and covered with a stone slab, over which a mound of tumulus was then erected. These burials consist of the people who destroyed the town in 2350. Bab edh-Dhra: Nomadic Cemetery? Why so many tombs? Tombs seem too well made to belong to semi-nomads, and the abrupt end of the burials at the end of the Early Bronze Age does not fit with a nomadic use of this cemetery. Instead, this seems to be connected with the Early Bronze civilization of the country as a whole. P.W. Lapp interpreted Bab edh-Dhra as a burial ground for the cities. Modern comparison: The town of Colma, California, just south of San Francisco, has a population of 1,800 in an area of about 2 square miles (5 km²), but three-fourths of the land consists of cemeteries in which a million people are buried. tbs

Bab edh-Dhra Early Bronze shaft tomb
Early Bronze Tombs The most remarkable feature of Early Bronze Bab edh-Dhra is the number of graves. While the population apparently numbered only 1,000 individuals, an estimated 20,000 tombs are located on site. These family tombs would have held the remains of approximately half a million people and over 3 million pottery vessels. Most of the burials at Bab edh-Dhra were secondary burials, possibly of nomads or others who brought their dead here annually to be buried in this regional cemetery. tb

Bab edh-Dhra Early Bronze shaft tomb interior
Shaft Tombs The most common type of tomb found at Bab edh-Dhra is is the “shaft grave.” A vertical shaft about six feet deep was cut through the soft limestone. Off of this shaft one to five chambers were cut, in each of which four to six individuals could be laid. Each chamber was approximately 7 feet (2 m) in diameter and 3 feet (1 m) high. Often, around the bone pile on the sides of the walls were many pottery pieces. Most of these pieces had never even contained any liquid or food in them. These included small juglets, tiny bowls, and large deep bowls that seem to be unique to Palestine. Most of the pottery also had a red burnish on it. Secondary burials at Bab edh-Dhra normally consisted of those people who had already had their flesh boiled off by cooking and whose bones were then placed in the chambers. Shaft graves are typical of the Intermediate Bronze period, but they also date to Early Bronze I at Bab edh-Dhra. “The use of shaft tombs (with a vertical entry shaft to the burial chamber) observed at Bab edh-Dhra is exceptional; only a thousand years later, in the Middle Bronze I period, do such tombs become common in Palestine” (Ben-Tor 1992: 88). tb

Numeira, possible Gomorrah, from northwest
Excavations at Numeira between revealed that the site was only occupied during the Early Bronze III. There are several indicators that Numeira was a colony of Bab edh-Dhra. Like Bab edh-Dhra, it was destroyed violently at the end of the Early Bronze III, never to be re-occupied. Interestingly, excavations at Numeira showed that it suffered two destructions, one during its lifespan and another that finally destroyed it. This would appear to match the biblical account in which the cities were subjected to destruction at the hands of the kings of the north (Gen 14), presumably rebuilt, and then finally destroyed by God (Gen 19). No tombs have yet been discovered in the vicinity of Numeira. Ceramic evidence indicates that the inhabitants of Numeira buried their dead at the cemetery outside of Bab edh-Dhra. Several skeletons were recovered from the destruction debris around the east gate. tb

Numeira, possible Gomorrah, view to north
Identification of Numeira Some scholars believe that the five Early Bronze cities on the south end of the Dead Sea must be equated with the five “Cities of the Plain.” They argue that Bab edh-Dhra likely was Sodom, that Numeira preserves the name of Gomorrah, and that the other three cities are those less well-known. One difficulty with this identification is that most scholars date the destruction of these cities to the end of the Early Bronze Age, which is typically dated to c BC. The biblical date for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone is ca. 2070, a difference of more than 200 years. What cannot be disputed, however, is the remarkable coincidence that the five contemporary third millennium cities are situated in the general area of the biblical Cities of the Plain. tb

Numeira, possible Gomorrah, east fortifications
Among the interesting finds at this site were some carbonized grapes with skins still intact. This indicates that the destruction took place in the late spring. tb

Numeira, possible Gomorrah, southeast corner of fortifications
tb

Safi, possible Zoar, ruins from north
The Safi region was repeatedly inhabited throughout history, and the town site existed at least as early as the Early Bronze Age. In 1924, Albright made soundings at Safi, supposing that it might be the biblical city of Zoar, but he discovered only pottery of the later periods. Nelson Glueck visited Safi in 1934 and identified Early Bronze and Middle Bronze pottery and tombs, as did Rast and Schaub in their 1973 survey. tb Safi, possible Zoar, ruins from north

Safi, possible Zoar, ruins from north
tb Safi, possible Zoar, ruins from north

Safi, possible Zoar, ruins from south
tb

Safi, possible Zoar, Early Bronze cemetery
Excavations by the Jordanian Department of Antiquities in 1995 cataloged more than 2000 Early Bronze tombs in this area. tb

Safi, possible Zoar, Early Bronze cemetery
tb

Safi village view from Deir Ain Abata
tb Safi village view from Deir Ain Abata

Dead Sea view from Deir Ain Abata, Lot's cave
The Museum at the Lowest Point on the Earth is visible below (the semi-circular building at the bottom of the slope). tb Dead Sea view from Deir Ain Abata, Lot's cave

Deir Ain Abata, Sanctuary of Lot, from west
The Byzantine site of Zoora (biblical Zoar) is located on the Medeba map on the southeastern shore of the Dead Sea, and has been identified with Tell Seh Isa, near es-Safi. Next to Zoora on the Medeba map is the Sanctuary of St. Lot, which has recently been excavated. tb

Deir Ain Abata chapel from below
Deir Ain Abata means the “Monastery of the Abata spring.” tb Deir Ain Abata chapel from below

Deir Ain Abata chapel with modern roof
tb Deir Ain Abata chapel with modern roof

Deir Ain Abata, Sanctuary of Lot
In the Byzantine period a church was built in front of a cave (behind the door on the left) which was identified as the cave where Lot and his daughters lived following the destruction of Sodom. Excavations revealed a chapel with three apses, with a monastery and hostel nearby. tb

tb Deir Ain Abata chapel

Deir Ain Abata, Sanctuary of Lot, central mosaic
Five mosaics decorated the floor of the basilica, four of which had Greek inscriptions. This mosaic in the central nave is decorated with branches which bear a resemblance to Nabatean decorations. This mosaic is dated to May 691, and the inscription mentions the names of the bishop (Christoforos), the steward (Zenon), and the governor (Ioannis), and identifies the site as a “holy place.” tb

Deir Ain Abata, Sanctuary of Lot, central mosaic
This mosaic in the chancel area of the basilica depicts a cross with the words telos (“end”) written vertically and kalon (“good”) written horizontally. tb

Deir Ain Abata, Sanctuary of Lot, inscription by cave
In front of the cave associated with Lot is this inscription in a tabula insata. The inscription mentions the date, April 605, and the names of Bishop Iakovos and Abbot Sozomenos. tb

Deir Ain Abata, cave of Lot
tb Deir Ain Abata, cave of Lot

Deir Ain Abata, Sanctuary of Lot, reservoir
The site of Deir Ain Abata was excavated from 1988 to 1996 by the British Museum, Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Jordanian Department of Antiquities. Konstantinos Politis was the archaeological director. This water reservoir is 20 feet (6 m) deep and was fed by a series of channels which caught rainwater that fell on the hillside. tb

Deir Ain Abata opened children's cist graves
tb Deir Ain Abata opened children's cist graves

Deir Ain Abata wall with arch
tb Deir Ain Abata wall with arch

Khirbet Feifeh, possible City of Plain, from west
A substantial walled town exists at the site of Feifeh. Although much Early Bronze pottery has been discovered here, the bulk of the town-site so far explored seems to date to Iron Age II. On the other hand, a ramp leading up to the site is very similar to structures found at other Early Bronze sites. An extensive destruction and ash layer exists on the mound, similar to what has been found at Bab edh-Dhra and Numeira. Further excavations are needed. tb

Khirbet Feifeh, possible City of Plain, excavations from east
tb

Khirbet Feifeh, possible City of Plain, cist tombs
These cist tombs were covered over by Iron Age building at the site. tb

Khirbet Feifeh, possible City of Plain, cist tomb
tb

Khirbet Feifeh, possible City of Plain, pottery
tb

Khirbet Feifeh, possible City of Plain, cemetery from northwest
An extensive Early Bronze cemetery has been identified to the east of the walled town of Khirbet Feifeh. Its size is estimated to be about one square kilometer, similar to the large cemetery of Bab edh-Dhra. Eleven of the tombs were excavated and all were dated to Early Bronze I; some of the tombs had been cut into earlier Neolithic remains. tb

Khirbet Khanazir, possible City of Plain, from southwest
Identified as a ruin in the 1930s, Kh. Khanazir is the southernmost of the five sites. Preliminary excavations by Rast and Schaub in 1990 revealed the existence of an extensive Early Bronze IV cemetery, with some of the tombs showing evidence of previous usage. No Early Bronze city remains have yet been discovered at Kh. Khanazir. tb

Khirbet Khanazir, possible City of Plain, from south
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Dead Sea southern area from south
tb

Nahal Zered flowing stream after rainfall
The Zered River is believed by most to be Wadi al-Hesa. Although there are some difficulties with this identification, most scholars accept it. The Medeba Map identifies the Zered with Wadi al-Hesa, while the Talmud identifies it with Wadi al-Kerak. tb Nahal Zered flowing stream after rainfall

The Zered River is 35 miles (55 km) long and miles ( km) wide and drains into the Dead Sea near the southeastern corner. The streambed is usually dry. tb Nahal Zered flowing stream after rainfall

The Zered River formed the southern border of Moab and the northern border of Edom. The Israelites crossed the Zered at the crossing called Iye Abarim, 38 years from the time they had first left Kadesh Barnea (Num 21:11-12; Deut 2:13-14). tb Nahal Zered flowing stream after rainfall

Dead Sea with lisan from south
The Dead Sea is divided into two sections created by a peninsula extending across from the Transjordan called the Lisan (or Lashon in Hebrew), meaning “tongue.” The Lisan “is formed of strata of clay, marl, soft chalk, and gypsum interbedded with sand and gravel” (Encyclopaedia Britannica). tb Dead Sea with lisan from south

Dead Sea with lisan from south
tb Dead Sea with lisan from south

Sunset over Dead Sea Helpful Sources Ben-Tor, Amnon.
1992 The Early Bronze Period. Pp. 81–125 in The Archaeology of Ancient Israel, ed. A. Ben-Tor. New Haven, CT: Yale University. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2003 Dead Sea. Encyclopaedia Britannica 2003 Ultimate Reference Suite CD-ROM. Gonen, Rivka. 1992 The Chalcolithic Period. Pp. 40–80 in The Archaeology of Ancient Israel, ed. A. Ben-Tor. New Haven, CT: Yale University. Fritz, Volkmar. 1996 An Introduction to Biblical Archaeology. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series 172. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press. MacDonald, Burton. 2000 East of the Jordan: Territories and Sites of the Hebrew Scriptures. Boston, MA: American Schools of Oriental Research. Politis, Konstantinos. 2004 Where Lot’s Daughters Seduced Their Father. Biblical Archaeology Review 30/1: 20–31, 64. Rollin, Sue and Jane Streetly. 1998 Jordan. 2nd edition. Blue Guide. London: A&C Black. tb

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Callirhoe, Nahal Arnon, Bab edh-Dhra, Numeira, and more

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