Hesban, Umayri and Jalul are three archaeological sites excavated by the Madaba Plains Project in Jordan. The sites are located to the east of the Jordan River in the fertile highlands overlooking the Dead Sea. The region was once the homelands of such biblical peoples as the Amorites, Ammonites and Moabites. At Umayri excavators have also found evidence of the tribe of Reuben. Remains of temples, acropolis areas and huge reservoirs at Hesban point to very significant Greco-Roman presence in the region. Numerous mosaic floors, including those in several Christian churches, attest to Byzantine presence in the region. The region is especially rich in ruins from the Middle Islamic period, especially Mamluk times. Recent research at Hesban has also uncovered significant remains from the Late Islamic or Ottoman time.
To learn more about past accomplishments and current research by Madaba Plains Project archaeologists, please visit each of the four clusters of sites that make up this project.
