Dr. David Graves writes an infrequent blog called Deus Artefacta. When he does write, the material is worthwhile. David has been participating in the excavation of Tall el-Hammam in the Jordan Valley (Transjordan) east of Jericho for several years. He is working on locating the site of Roman Livias.
Tall el-Hammam in the Jordan Valley. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins 2008.
Dr. Steven Collins, Dean, College of Archaeology, Trinity Southwest University, thinks that Tall el-Hammam is the site of Sodom. Info about the excavation may be located here. Other scholars suggest that Tall el-Hammam is the site of Abel-shittim (Numbers 33:49; Shittim, Numbers 25:1), in the plains of Moab. See Rainey and Notley, The Sacred Bridge, 125. The Israelite spies went out from here to view the land, especially Jericho (Joshua 2:1).
The excavation at Tall el-Hammam is now in progress through January 29, 2010. Graves has posted some good photos, and associated information, about Heshbon, Umm Quis [Gadara], and Jerash in the land of Gilead. Before crossing into Jordan he spent some time with the Temple Mount Salvage Operation in Jerusalem, visited Qumran, Masada, and Jericho.
Ferrell's Travel Blog 
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