Abstract
The Qasr al-Baluʿa is a monumental Iron Age structure located at the highpoint of Khirbat al-Baluʿa, a 16-ha multi-period settlement with extensive Iron Age II-period remains. Overlooking the Wadi Baluʿa, the qasr stands prominent on the horizon of the site. This paper would provide a brief review of the history of exploration and theories of interpretation surrounding the qasr. In 1930 a yet-undeciphered inscribed stele, the Baluʿa Stele, was found and excited interest in the structure and in its possible contributions to understanding state formation in the Moabite region. Current excavations by the Baluʿa Regional Archaeological Project (BRAP) against the exterior northern wall of the qasr have preliminarily clarified its construction phases, including defining the pre-structure preparation surfaces and initial construction in the Iron Age down to its reuse in the Nabatean period. Pottery and radiocarbon dates assist in anchoring the construction and use of this building.
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Acknowledgments
The BRAP is sponsored by La Sierra University and Theologische Hochschule Friedensau, is supported by Walla Walla University, and has received grants from the Versacare Foundation to support the 2017 and 2019 seasons. We especially appreciate the partnership of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan and the support of ACOR while we are in Jordan. We want to thank all those who have participated in the project over the years.
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Bramlett, K., Roddy, M., Tyson, C., Ninow, F. (2023). The Qasr at Baluʿa. In: Ben-Yosef, E., Jones, I.W.N. (eds) “And in Length of Days Understanding” (Job 12:12). Interdisciplinary Contributions to Archaeology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27330-8_38
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