Ataruz Jordan Dig

Experience life in Jordan on an archaeological excavation at Ataruz. Gain valuable experience in the field as you are trained in archaeological methodologies and approaches with the opportunity to apply these skills within a controlled archaeological excavation. Students are an invaluable resource for our dig and will be given opportunities of leadership, growth, and new-skill development that will be invaluable to your future pursuits. Work side by side with local Jordanians and experience the rich cultural heritage and history of Jordan as we excavate this ancient Iron Age temple complex within the borders of ancient Moab. Throughout the experience, students work closely with locals and faculty in a multicultural and interfaith environment. One of the program's goals is to provide you with invaluable experience and training that will open more opportunities as you progress through your future studies and careers. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!

Throughout the excavation, students and faculty visit relevant historical and religious sites and discuss important events that ensued there. Locations include Mount Nebo (with its numerous ties to the Exodus, Moses, and the content of books such as Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges), Machaerus (traditional site, according to the ancient historian Josephus, where Salome danced before Herod Antipas and John the Baptist was beheaded), Bethany (traditional site on the Jordan River where Jesus was said to have been baptized), Greek Orthodox and Franciscan churches (such as those dedicated to the memory of John the Baptist and the famous St. George Church, which contains a mosaic map of the Holy Land from the sixth century AD), and, of course, Petra and other archaeological sites. An overnight trip to the Wadi Rum may also be a possibility. These field trips become places of learning, inquiry, and discussion, and at times they become spiritual pilgrimages with many testimony-strengthening moments.

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