Pella is the Classical name for the site that is listed as one of the Decapolis cities of Roman Palestine. Located beside a perennial spring in the eastern foothills of the north Jordan valley human occupation in the region around Pella stretches back over half a million years and the site itself has been continuously occupied from around 8000 BC to the present. As a result, the tell at Pella contains over 20 metres of occupation debris and has been a constant treasure trove of finds that I have been fortunate to photograph since 2007.
The site has been excavated by the University of Sydney and has unearthed many important discoveries, including early stages of human settlement in Neolithic housing (ca. 6000 BC) to massive Middle Bronze Age mud-brick city walls and Middle to Late Bronze Age temples and Palatial residences (ca. 1800-1200 BC). The Classical period includes large areas of a Hellenistic city (destroyed by war in 80 BC) and a Roman Imperial city (ca. 150 AD). Later periods include three Byzantine churches and a Bishop’s palace (ca. 550 AD); an Umayyad Islamic city destroyed by an earthquake (ca. 750 AD); an Abbasid caravanserai (ca. 950 AD); and a Mameluke mosque and administrative compound (ca. 1350 AD); and many other finds that bring Pella’s history up to the present day.
The site has been excavated by the University of Sydney and has unearthed many important discoveries, including early stages of human settlement in Neolithic housing (ca. 6000 BC) to massive Middle Bronze Age mud-brick city walls and Middle to Late Bronze Age temples and Palatial residences (ca. 1800-1200 BC). The Classical period includes large areas of a Hellenistic city (destroyed by war in 80 BC) and a Roman Imperial city (ca. 150 AD). Later periods include three Byzantine churches and a Bishop’s palace (ca. 550 AD); an Umayyad Islamic city destroyed by an earthquake (ca. 750 AD); an Abbasid caravanserai (ca. 950 AD); and a Mameluke mosque and administrative compound (ca. 1350 AD); and many other finds that bring Pella’s history up to the present day.
2015_PEL_A_3597. Assembly of Iron Age vessels from destruction layer in Area XXXII F
2015_Pel_4468 (left), 2015_Pel_4465 (right - opposite face). Lady in Blue - Astate figurine. Area XXXII HH.
2009_Pel_2685 (left), 2009_Pel_2693, (right - opposite face). Janus Figurine
From Trench XXX11 AA. Iron Age I (c. 1150–1050 BC)
From Trench XXX11 AA. Iron Age I (c. 1150–1050 BC)
2009_03Pel_033. Sunrise over Pella though orange dust storm.
2007_Pel_1354. The main tell with compound behind from Tell Husn in 2007
2009_Pel_S_3350. XXXII AA. Mudbrick wall burnt to orange in destruction fire above intersecting layers of pits. (Steps are for excavation access).
2009_Pel_0443. XXXII BB. Mud brick storeroom in destruction layers surrounded by evidence of burning.
2007_Pel_Scenic_1197. The massive Late Bronze Age temple walls with the Byzantine Cathedral Church in the background
2007_Pel_Scenic_0023. Byzantine Cathedral Church with a Roman period temple below from Tell Husn
2013_Pel_S_0046. The main tell with compound behind and looking across the Jezebel Valley from Tell Husn in 2013
2017_Pel_E_200
Late afternoon light skims over Jebel Sartaba and Tell Husn to highlight the end of the valley and an old tree in it's winter coat