Petra, Jordan, is the best-known Nabatean site. Made famous through poems, novels and even films—such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade—Petra was the commercial capital of the Nabatean empire. About 37 miles north of Petra, lay another significant Nabatean site: Khirbet et-Tannur. Located at the River Zered, a gorge that separates Moab from Edom, Khirbet et-Tannur features a Nabatean temple from the second century B.C.E to the fourth century C.E.
Khirbet Et-Tannur
The Nabataean Temple at Khirbet et-Tannur: Final Report on Nelson Glueck’s 1937 Excavation, vol. 1, Architecture and Religion, and vol. 2, Cultic Offerings, Vessels, and other Specialist Reports, Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research 67–68
By Judith S. McKenzie, Joseph A. Greene, Andres T. Reyes, Catherine S. Alexander, Deirdre G. Barrett, Brian Gilmour, John F. Healey, Margaret O’Hea, Nadine Schibille, Stephan G. Schmid, Wilma Wetterstrom and Sarah Whitcher Kansa (Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research, 2013), vol. 1: 340 pp., 451 color and b&w illus., 10 pages of tables, $89.95 (hardcover); vol. 2: 340 pp., 151 b&w illus., tables and figures, $89.95 (hardcover)
It’s been almost 80 years since archaeologist and rabbi Nelson Glueck excavated at Khirbet et-Tannur. He died in 1971 without writing a final report. Now Judith S. McKenzie and a team of specialists associated with the Harvard Semitic Museum have published a report that features the discovery of a collection of samples gathered by Glueck during his original excavation that included bone, burnt incense, metal, glass and other plant and animal remains.
This two-volume report also treats the architectural data in Glueck’s previous publications. The introduction to these volumes includes lengthy excerpts from Glueck’s journal and provides a window into the inner workings of archaeology in the 19th century—during a time of rising political tension and violence in the region. The first volume focuses on Khirbet et-Tannur’s architecture, as well as an overview of Nabatean cultic religion and iconography. Volume 2 begins with a new presentation of Glueck’s original excavation reports, including his registration book and diary of the temple’s excavation. It continues with detailed analyses regarding the collected samples found in the Semitic Museum at Harvard, each authored by a specialist in the field. These include both floral and faunal remains, as well as glass, metal and pottery samples.
With more than 600 illustrations and figures, and a glossary with typological diagrams that provides a deeper understanding of the artifacts, these two volumes bring Khirbet et-Tannur to life. Using the information left behind by Glueck and his team’s reliable methodology, along with new comparative studies, these reports offer a comprehensive look at Nabatean religion.
Petra, Jordan, is the best-known Nabatean site. Made famous through poems, novels and even films—such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade—Petra was the commercial capital of the Nabatean empire. About 37 miles north of Petra, lay another significant Nabatean site: Khirbet et-Tannur. Located at the River Zered, a gorge that separates Moab from Edom, Khirbet et-Tannur features a Nabatean temple from the second century B.C.E to the fourth century C.E. Khirbet Et-Tannur The Nabataean Temple at Khirbet et-Tannur: Final Report on Nelson Glueck’s 1937 Excavation, vol. 1, Architecture and Religion, and vol. 2, Cultic Offerings, Vessels, and other […]
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