Umm al-Biyara: Excavations by Crystal-M. Bennett in Petra 1960-1965 (Levant Supplementary Series)

Umm al-Biyara, the highest mountain in Petra, southern Jordan, was the first Iron Age Edomite site to be extensively excavated. It was a domestic, unwalled site of stone-built longhouses dating to the 7th-6th centuries BCE. The stratigraphy, pottery, small finds and inscribed material, including the important bulla of Qos-Gabr, King of Edom are described, supplemented by chapters on the use of space and a landscape study of mountain-top sites in the Petra region. The later Nabataean remains on the edge of the summit indicate a major Nabataean complex of buildings, possibly a palace, which would make this the first Nabataean palace in Petra to be explicitly identified. Table of Contents 1. The Site and its Exploration ( Piotr Bienkowski and Katherine Baxter ) 2. The Stratigraphy ( Katherine Baxter ) 3. A Home High in the Mountains: The Use of Space in Umm al-Biyara ( Katherine Baxter ) 4. The Pottery ( Piotr Bienkowski with contributions by Marion F. Oakeshott ) 5. The Seal Material ( Peter van der Veen ) 6. The Ostracon ( Omar al-Ghul ) 7. The Small Finds ( Piotr Bienkowski ) 8. The Animal Remains ( Juliet Clutton-Brock ) 9. Recent Shells and a Fossil Sea Urchin from Umm al-Biyara ( David Reese ) 10. The Iron Age Landscape of Umm al-Biyara ( Piotr Bienkowski ) 11. Nabataean Structures on Top of Umm al-Biyara ( Stephan G. Schmid ) 12. Conclusions ( Piotr Bienkowski ) The site and its exploration / Piotr Bienkowski and Katherine Baxter The stratigraphy / Katherine Baxter A home high in the mountains : the use of space in Umm al-Biyara / Katherine Baxter The pottery / Piotr Bienkowski with contributions by Marion F. Oakeshott The seal material / Peter van der Veen The Ostracon / Omar al-Ghul The small finds / Piotr Bienkowski The animal remains / Juliet Clutton-Brock Recent shells and a fossil sea urchin from Umm al-Biyara / David S. Reese The Iron Age landscape of Umm al-Biyara / Piotr Bienkowski Nabataean structures on top of Umm al-Biyara / Stephan G. Schmid Appendix 1. Crystal-M. Bennett OBE, DLitt, FSA (1918-1987) / Susan Balderstone Appendix 2. Crystal Bennett and Umm al-Biyara / Peter J. Parr. Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables Foreword Acknowledgements and Chronology List of Contributors 1 The Site and its Exploration 2 The Stratigraphy 3 A Home High in the Mountains: the Use of Space in Umm al-Biyara 4 The Pottery 5 The Seal Material 6 The Ostracon 7 The Small Finds 8 The Animal Remains 9 Recent Shells and a Fossil Sea Urchin from Umm al-Biyara 10 The Iron Age Landscape of Umm al-Biyara 11 Nabataean Structures on Top of Umm al-Biyara 12 Conclusions Appendix 1. Crystal-M. Bennett OBE, DLitt, FSA (1918–1987) Appendix 2. Crystal Bennett and Umm al-Biyara Bibliography