Tall Jalul Excavations
Tall Jalul provides important evidence of Bronze and Iron Age settlement in the region associated with biblical Heshbon. Its substantial occupation history makes it useful for investigating the political and cultural landscape east of the Jordan River. Although some scholars have proposed the site as an alternative location for Sihon's capital, that identification remains unproven.
About the Discovery
Tall Jalul is one of the largest ancient settlement mounds in central Jordan. Excavations beginning in 1992 uncovered substantial remains from the Bronze and Iron Ages, including defensive walls, buildings, pottery, and water-management installations. The site occupied an important position on the fertile plateau east of the Dead Sea.
Late Bronze Age pottery and occupation evidence are especially important because they demonstrate settlement during a period not clearly represented at nearby Tell Hesban. Some researchers have suggested that Tall Jalul might be a candidate for the biblical Heshbon associated with King Sihon. However, no inscription or other discovery has securely identified Tall Jalul as Heshbon.
Scripture Reference
Numbers 21:21–30; Deuteronomy 2:24–37; Joshua 12:2; Joshua 13:17 (references to biblical Heshbon; identification of Tall Jalul remains uncertain).