Weekly Reports from Jordan

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Week 3E – Gallery of the Adventuresome

Assembled and Photographed by Jillian Logee

Part of any adventure like this summer’s excavations at Tall al-`Umayri, Jordan, are the life-long friends one makes and the professional colleagues with whom one works. This weekly report focuses on the people who make up the team, some caught occasionally in unusual, but for the most part not compromising positions.

Enjoy the Gallery!

Newcomers to the dig learn the basic technique of using a pick & trowel.

Colin Pummel, Glo Besana, and Betty Adams claim this Tell in the name of 'Umayri - or at least, get started setting up sifts.

Dig Director Doug Clark introduces the 2016 participants to the various fields of 'Umayri.

hing for the Roman Amphitheatre to open, participants pass the time by posing for selfies.

With the help of several friends, awkwardly parked cars are never a problem. Simply lift them out of the way.

Kristy Swartz gets started on Square 6K76 in Field J.

Square 6K76 was filled with large boulders that needed to be removed, but it was quick work for our Bunayat workers. Here is Adel mid-smash.

Finds are presented during lunchtime. Here's Shaun Eccles showing a small metal point to his fellow excavators.

Field J was filled with probes, so naturally, Field J fits in a probe. Existential!

Pacific Union College student Colin Pummel.

Mary Boyd discovers that the bin in Square 6K86 is Mary Boyd-sized.

Glo Besana enjoys a chocolate bar from Adel in celebration of Eid.

Second breakfast at the Tell was not complete until Doug Clark made the rounds with plums from Ruby's garden.

Square Supervisor Jimmy Martini works on a Top Plan in Square 6K46.

Melissa Hebein shows off her research using XRF to analyze artifacts excavated at 'Umayri.

Kristina Reed shows participants her incredibly detailed stipple drawings during the Learning Stations lecture.

Square Supervisor Jaime Bennett holds a figurine fragment found in the sift by worker Adel.

The lovely faces of 'Umayri 2016.

Glo Besana and Betty Adams worked tirelessly in a small probe in Square 6K66.

Bunayat worker Ahmad reinforces subsidiary balks in Square 6K76 with sandbags.

Chief Archaeologist Kent Bramlett and Dig Director Doug Clark check out the progress with Department of Antiquities Rep Aktham Oweidi during the daily rounds.

Abu Issa shares stories and photographs with CEPU translators Amira Eneizat and Eslam AlDawdieh during an interview session at his house in Bunayat.

The CEPU team: Eslam , Monique Vincent, Amira, Omar Eneizat, and Carolyn Waldron.

Team Chef Munir invited the group to have lunch at his house one weekend, and they were treated to an incredible spread of delicious dishes.

Craig Tyson makes use of a large pulley system to haul guffaf of dirt out of Square 7K02 in Field H.

Jordan University student Niveen (Lastname?) helps excavate Square 6K66 in Field J.

Mount Royal University student Malak Alkadri helps map out Square 6K86 in Field L for a top plan.

2016 Participants take in a lecture at the Four Room House at sunset.

Doug Clark talks to students about the archaeological history of 'Umayri.

Field Supervisor and newly inducted PhD graduate Monique Vincent talks to students about her dissertation on Four Room Houses at 'Umayri.

Chief Archaeologist Kent Bramlet demonstrates why he holds the title of, "The Gazelle of 'Umayri."

A beautiful example of a tripod quern and hand grinder found in the Destruction Layer excavated in Square 7K02.

Student Shayla Shupe displays her love of falafel.

Jimmy Martini, Betty Adams, and Kristy Swartz discuss the Ammonites during a lecture by Craig Tyson.

Adel's daughter gets started on her future career early, helping her father and Carolyn Waldron excavated in Square 6K56.

Field H consisted of just one square this year, but Regine Hunziker-Rodewald, Monique Vincent, Craig Tyson and worker Aboud couldn't get enough of the Destruction Layer.

Proving their apitude and dedication to the project, workers Amjad and Adel assist with taking GPS readings for Square 6K56.

Field P moved a lot of topsoil and saw a lot of bedrock, but it didn't dampen their spirits!

This year's Photo Contest winners & runners up humor photographer Jillian Logee by holding off on devouring their prizes until she could snap this picture.

Laughs and great memories are shared at a surprise celebration of Dig Director Doug Clark's contribution to 'Umayri over the years.

Jameed is poured over delicious Mansaf at the end-of-season feast and celebration.

For vegetarians, Magloobeh - a dish of rice, eggplant, potato, and cauliflower - is served up at the end-of-season feast.

Students Melissa Hebein and Shayla Shupe really loved that Mansef!

The team from Field L discovered excellent examples of surfaces, cobble stone floors, and a wonderfully preserved bin at the top of the Tell this year.

Madaba DoA Director Basem Mohamid, and representatives Samia Khouri and Muna Hiari

305 crates of artifacts, samples, and more awaiting being packed up into a shipping container for the long journey to La Sierra University.

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