Students enjoying their first visit to the Dead Sea (Photos by L. Klein)
By Lukas Klein
This week the field portion of the Khirbat al-Mukhayyat Archaeological Project reached its conclusion. While I am personally elated at the prospect of not having to wake up at 4:30, the end of the dig portion of our project signaled that we as a group were nearing the end of our time together. The upcoming end to the dig season also signals a return to a regular routine–a process that I know will take a fair amount of time to adjust back into. Nevertheless, I feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that I have been able to be part of a successful archaeological field season. The end of the season also means that we will be soon going our separate ways. This feeling is bittersweet as I have made many friendships during my time here, friends that I hope to see when I return to Laurier in the fall.
The majority of the final week on site was spent cleaning the various squares while finalizing the data for soil locus sheets, instillation sheets, and architecture sheets. In my own square a large portion of the time at the beginning of the week was spent digging down to a level that was assumed to be a bedrock layer. Various elevations were taken with the total station and we as a square were confident in the belief that we had finally reached the bottom of our “pit”. This assumption was supported by the fact that little to no pottery was being collected at the time. Alas, this was not meant to be as we had instead reached a hard compact layer of soil, perhaps an Iron Age surface of some sort. While disappointing in some respects, the discovery of a new layer of cultural material entails further opportunities for obtaining a greater understanding of the cultural significance of our square. The rest of the week was spent completing the various measurements needed for detailed drawings of both a top plan and baulk drawings of our square. These tasks may seem tedious, but they are essential as accuracy is key when obtaining final measurements.
On Thursday, we were treated to a trip to Mount Nebo. The view was amazing and well worth the wait. Looking at the various restoration projects puts a smile on my face as it confirms that people care deeply for their history and their culture here in Jordan. Saturday rolled along and we were treated with our last day trip of the year, a trip to the Dead Sea. Our first stop was a visit to Umm Ar-Rasas. Inside the church of St. Stevens, the most intact mosaic in all of Jordan was viewed. It was breathtaking in its intricate and elaborate design, as various scenes seemed almost lifelike. The mosaic could be further appreciated due to the fact that it was left relatively unscathed by the acts of destruction and alteration evident on many mosaics in the region during the period of iconoclasm. Our next stop was to Machaerus, the site of John the Baptist’s beheading. The walk up to the top of this hilltop fortress was long but well worth the effort. Various ruins on both sites could be appreciated for their historical value as well. The last stop was the Dead Sea. Upon arrival we were treated to an amazing buffet. The food was delicious and the hotel was a site to behold. Covering myself with Dead Sea mud I walked into the warm but extremely salty body of water. The feeling of floating without sinking in the water is at first unnatural but was extremely enjoyable. The rest of the day was spent lounging by the pool until sunset. This trip to the Dead Sea is one I will not soon forget.
As the season comes to a close I reflect on the fact that the end of this trip is not the end but only just the beginning of my archaeological experience. Life is indeed not just about the destination but about the journey–a journey that I am enjoying immensely.