The Archaeology of Jordan: A Condensed History

Although Western travelers, from the Byzantine period forward, visited and described the landscape and ancient sites of Jordan as well as Palestine, archaeological expeditions mostly were concentrated west of the Jordan River in what was considered to be the "real" Holy Land. Archaeological interest in Jordan itself did not begin to intensify until the middle of the twentieth century when Nelson Glueck's survey spurred the interest of Americans and Europeans. Since then, archaeological excavations and surveys, especially by Western scholars, have increased exponentially. Concomitantly, Jordanian universities continued to produce archaeologists with a strong interest in exploring the past of their homeland, resulting in archaeological exploration also of prehistorical and later historical periods. Heritage preservation and the integration of new technologies into archaeological research are changing the face of Jordanian archaeology.