Scholarship Winners

Ralph K. Hawkins

Tall Jalul

Ralph Hawkins is pursuing his Ph.D. in Old Testament history and archaeology at Andrews University, Michigan. He volunteered at Tall Jalul.

Last May, I had the great privilege of working in the field with Dr. Randall W. Younker, director of the Horn Museum and professor of archaeology at Andrews University, in Michigan. We worked at Tall Jalul, Jordan, one of a number of sites being excavated under the auspices of the Madaba Plains Project. Jalul, 3 miles east of Madaba, sits on a high tell. It is one of the largest ancient sites in central Jordan, and it contains substantial architectural remains of Late Bronze and Iron Age towns. The site is also significant for Biblical studies because it may shed light on the location of the Biblical Heshbon, the capital of the Amorite King Sihon, who was reportedly captured in warfare by Moses and the Israelites (Deuteronomy 1:4).