Tell el-Hammam

Welcome, intrepid traveler and student of antiquity, to the sprawling and enigmatic ruins of Tell el-Hammam. As you stand at the base of this massive archaeological site in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, you are looking at what…

As we walk away from the site's edge and approach the lower city, we arrive at the foundational ruins of a monumental gateway. Stop for a moment and look at the arrangement of massive stones and mudbrick before you. …

Moving inward from the gateway, we step into the lower city's domestic and administrative sector. This area provides a fascinating juxtaposition of distinct historical epochs colliding in the dirt. …

We now approach the most physically imposing feature of Tell el-Hammam, the colossal defensive rampart that separates the lower city from the fortified upper acropolis. Looking up the steep incline, you can truly appreciate the…

Pausing halfway up the massive rampart, your eyes will likely be drawn to a peculiar series of circular stone structures cut directly into the hillside. You are looking at a fascinating period of resettlement that occurred long…

You have finally reached the summit of the ascending pathway, arriving at the entrance to the highly fortified upper city. This area represents the pinnacle of ancient power and administration. …

We now step into the heart of the upper acropolis, the area that once housed the grand palace and temple complexes. The ground here is relatively flat today, but beneath the surface lies the most chilling and scientifically…

You have now reached the absolute highest point of Tell el-Hammam. From this commanding summit, the entire geographical theater of the Jordan Valley opens up before you in a breathtaking panorama. …

As our journey through Tell el-Hammam draws to a close, take one last look over the descending ruins and out toward the hypersaline waters of the Dead Sea in the distance. The sun beating down on these dusty mudbricks illuminates…