Setting up the Excavation

The Wadi Hasa (Biblical Zered) marks the traditional boundary between Edom and Moab

Greetings from Karak,

Everyone is doing well.

We have been working hard to get our camp up and running. That has been especially challenging this season. We have had supplies stored in Amman at a warehouse, since our last season ended in 2001. We could not find some of that material we left and some of it was no longer usable. So we have had to go out replace these supplies here.

Also, if you have been following the blog then you might remember that we used our "second bag" to ship back artifacts & supplies to Jordan during our flight from the US. This plan ran into trouble when luggage for 5 from our group did not show up in Amman. The main reason for this was confusion over our plane tickets. It was not easy to get our bags checked through to Amman when we arrived at the airport on the day we departed. Also 9 of the 12 did not get the boarding pass for London-Amman portion. Then we arrived in London they informed us that our tickets were canceled. It was a long process but finally got everyone on the plane. This confusion led to bags being delayed.

I am happy to report that all the baggage arrived today in Karak. But we still have not been reunited with the boxes of artifacts we carried over. We have hit red tape from the Customs people and we had to left the boxes with them at the airport. But I think we can work through it soon.

We have been eating well, it turns out that the place we eat is a regular tourist stop for tour buses coming to see the castle. They leave Amman in the morning and come south to Karak then visit the castle eat lunch and then many drive on south to Petra. Also some tourist come north from Petra and visit then head on to Amman. Anyway it is buffet style and the food is great. I mentioned before we eat in an Ottoman period buliding that once was a hospital. Tonight we had grilled lamb and shish kebab, grilled onions and tomatos, with fries. They cooked it outside for us on the patio, where we ate overlooking the castle wall. I am amazed by this because it feels so far more like a tour group than a dig crew.

This is a major change from the past but of course no one is complaining. I suspect that those new to the dig do not realize how good they have it.

Tomorrow is a free day. We will visit the site and then other sites. We will visit the Wadi Hasa, which is called the Zered River in the bible. It has a large dam built there since 2001 so I am eager to see it. Then we travel on to a Nabatean temple at Dhat Ras and the ancient graveyard of Mahi.

I need to get some rest so that is all for now.

Remember the entire blog is posted at krp2009.blogspot.com

John Wineland
Karak, Jordan