In the year 2011 the joint archaeological project between Aarhus University and Ruhr University Bochum under the direction of Prof. Dr. Rubina Raja and Prof. Dr. Achim Lichtenberger was begun. The project is funded by the Carlsberg Foundation, H. P. Hjerl Hansens Mindefondet for Dansk Palæstinaforskning and the German Research Foundation (DFG). The aim of the project is to examine the settlement history for the until now largely unexplored Nothwest Quarter in the ancient city of Gerasa, modern Jerash in Jordan.
Gerasa was a Hellenistic-Roman influenced city, which was refounded in the 2nd century BCE. The Northwest is densely covered with building structures laid out on a terrace system and stretches over the entire hill (app. 4 hectares). The area which is located within the walled ancient city is the highest point in the ancient city. One specific research focus is the settlement history of the hill and the continuities and changes which this area underwent over time.
The area is to the West defined by the ancient city wall with the Northwest Gate and to the North by the North Decumanus. The exact layout of the North Decumanus close by a prominent hill slope is not yet known and is therefore one of the future areas of investigation. To the South the area is defined by the end of the steep slope and to the East by the monumental Artemision from the 2nd century CE.
Previous field work in the area is confined to the excavation of the so-called Synagoge Church by Hamilton (published in Kraeling 1938). The Synagoge was converted into a church around 530/531 CE. A few trial trenches were laid out by British and American archaeologists in the early 1980s, but the results of these did not bring to light any substantial information about the history of the Northwest Quarter.
Directors: Professor Rubina Raja / Professor Achim Lichtenberger
