Tall Dhiban Archaeological Field School
THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME
Tall Dhiban Archaeological Field School 2025
Want to have the experience of a lifetime this summer and earn 9 credits (three, 3000-level archaeology courses) doing it?
The Tall Dhiban archaeological field school is an 8 week, 9 credit program (three third year courses: ARKY 3000, 3300, 3400), from May 1 to June 21, 2025 . It includes a 2.5 week course on the archaeology of Jordan prior to departure. The excavations take place at Tall Dhiban, located in south central Jordan, directly east of the Dead Sea. It is 30 km south of Madaba where we live during the field school.
University of Lethbridge students have been participating in archaeological field schools in the Near East for more than four decades, working alongside other students, volunteers, and researchers from around the world.
Research Objectives of the Project
European explorers became interested in the site of Dhiban in the 19th century when the Mesha Inscription was discovered. While some of this monumental inscription has been broken and lost, what has survived preserves the story of Mesha, king of the Moabites and enemy of Israel. In the inscription, Mesha explains that his god, Chemosh, helped him throw off the yoke of Israel, a claim that parallels accounts found in the Bible.
Since the 2000s, a joint British, American, and Canadian team have uncovered more evidence of Mesha’s Iron Age kingdom. The team has also explored a Nabataean temple and are examining how society at the site was transformed as Islam replaced Christianity as the dominant religion of the region.
A Typical Day on the Dig
4:00 Rise and shine
5:15 Arrive at the site
9:00 Second breakfast
9:30 Back to excavating
13:00 Return to Madaba
14:00 Lunch
14:30 Break (shower)
16:00 Pottery washing and lab work
18:00 Evening lecture/ workshop
19:00 Dinner
21:30 Lights out
We work six days of the week, Saturday - Thursday, taking Fridays off. After the 4 week field excavations, we will spend 6 days touring ancient and modern sites across Jordan.
Field School Learning Outcomes
By the end of the field school, you will have a solid understanding of archaeological field methods, know the value of detailed excavation records, and have experience in laboratory analysis. You will also learn how your efforts and discoveries contribute to the academic goals of the research project.
The broader context of the archaeological finds and the site will be explained through lectures and tours to other sites.
You will be immersed in Middle Eastern culture, learn about the people who live there, their history, and the politics, and make many new friends!
Interested in Participating?
An archaeological field school requires real, hard work in a camp like environment. It will be hot, you will get dirty, and be very tired by the end of the day. We hope that the thrill of discovering artifacts that were buried for thousands of years will outweigh the stiff muscles and early mornings. There is no better way to learn how to do field research than actually doing it!