Life on the BRAP

All participants should be transported from Amman to the hotel by Thursday, June 20. Friday, June 21 is reserved as an orientation day to familiarize all participants with the work and methods of the BRAP for the 2024 season. Reading the Madaba Plains Project Excavation Manual ahead of time will make the large amount of information covered on this day easier to absorb. Saturday, June 22, will be a chance to adjust from jetlag and rest. Work on site and at the hotel will begin Sunday, June 23.

Internet access is available in the hotel, but BRAP makes no guarantees about its quality or consistency and cannot provide troubleshooting assistance. SIM cards through local phone companies (Zain, for example) for your (unlocked!) phones may be purchased at the Amman airport after clearing customs (there are usually several kiosks lined up after you clear the magic doors). Data for these cards, purchased by GB/month, is relatively inexpensive and will help you stay in touch with your friends and family back home. USB data sticks can also be purchased to provide internet for your laptop computers, if you are bringing them. These are much more difficult to acquire once outside of Amman, so plan to purchase immediately upon arrival if desired. Please make sure to receive any assistance with using these SIM cards or data sticks during the purchasing process, as phones and computers all have their unique quirks and BRAP is not responsible for servicing your technology.

As mentioned above, accommodation is in shared hotel rooms.  Basic bedding and towels will be provided by the hotel.

Clothing and Personal Supplies: Those who have had no experience in overseas travel and/or archaeological work may not be certain what clothing and sundries they should bring with them. Following is a list of general items to keep in mind as you plan for your trip, but it is obviously subjective and will need tailoring to your specific needs. Most people are prone to take more luggage than they need. Pack light!

• Work clothes: For example, two pairs of work pants (no shorts, which may be offensive to Arabs with whom we work) and three or four light-weight shirts or blouses (with collars and long sleeves for protection against the sun). A belt to hold up pants with full pockets is a good idea! Low cut, see through, or short shirts are not appropriate in this environment.
• Dress and sport clothes. Archaeologists are honored guests in Jordan. It would be nice to have a decent outfit besides work clothes for visiting or other social occasions in the local community. You will also want to have some sport clothes (including a swimming suit) for weekend trips. Likely you will not need more than one set each of dress and sport clothes. [swimming suits will only be worn in tourist environments, so while a more modest version will help prevent unwanted attention, a normal bathing suit will be fine]
• Work shoes or boots. The terrain on site at Balu’a is extremely rocky. Paths between excavation areas were cleared in 2019, so tennis shoes are fine for walking to your excavation area each day. However, hiking boots with ankle support will provide support to your feet if you explore the site or for weekend tours. Flip flops or other open-toed sandals are unacceptable for work, especially given the presence of snakes, scorpions, and thorny bushes on site. However, they are desirable for showering or walking around back at the hotel.
• Sweater or sweat shirt for cool mornings and evenings (several thin layers of clothing are better than fewer thick layers — this allows for shedding throughout the day).
• Hat or cap as essential protection against the harsh sun. You will not be allowed to work out on site without some form of head covering. A full, wide-brimmed hat is ideal.
• Work gloves are essential for protecting your hands from the wooden tool handles and from rocks you will need to help move. Either light cotton gardening gloves or slightly heavier, yet still flexible, leather ones are easily found in gardening stores.
• Knee pads or a gardening kneeling pad are extremely helpful as excavation takes place mostly on one's knees.
• Backpack/tote bag for carrying your personal materials to site each day.
• Small handy pocket knife, useful though not required.
• Reusable water bottle(s). While drinking water is provided, you need a container(s) big enough to carry your water to and around site or weekend tours. Disposable plastic 1.5- or 2-liter bottles may be purchased locally and reused, though some prefer to bring their own reusable bottles/reservoirs.
• Travel mug. If you would like to take coffee or tea with you out to the site, bring your own travel mug. This would also be handy for use in the hotel, where otherwise only small mugs are available for hot drinks. The hotel charges for tea/coffee, so bringing your own supply is recommended (or you can purchase a supply from the local shops). The hotel does provide hot water at every meal.
• Laundry soap, which is also available locally (we wash all of our personal laundry in a sink/bucket by hand)
• Clip-type clothespins and a line for hanging laundry to dry - creatively in our hotel rooms
• Sunglasses (protect your eyes from the sun as well as dust!)
• Sunscreen with broad-spectrum, high SPF factor
• Insect repellent/anti-itch cream – while mosquitos have not been a huge challenge in the past, they do enjoy the evening air alongside us
• Ear plugs – especially if you are a light sleeper and there are snorers nearby or a party outside (we head to bed hours before most Jordanians in summer)!
• Toiletries – some basic toiletries are available but choice will be limited and bringing your essentials with you will save grief!
• Hand wipes/sanitizer – hand washing facilities do not exist on-site so having a ready supply of hand wipes or hand sanitizer will make you feel a bit more clean, if not actually assist in that direction!
• Pain killers (ibuprofen/aspirin) may help sore muscles adjust to new labors
• Packs of travel facial tissues often double for toilet paper duty while traveling or on site!
• Medications: your standard medications / skin moisturizers / treatment for intestinal problems / standard pain relievers / sunburn treatment / lip salve / Band aids / cough drops / cold/flu medicine (many of these items will be available in Jordan, although not necessarily your favorite brands, but it will save you time, hassle, and expense if you bring them with you).

What NOT to bring:

Keep in mind this is an archaeological excavation; it will be dirty and dusty and many things are therefore unnecessary or endangered. Items like hairdryers not only threaten the local electricity supply, but are unnecessary in the extreme heat of summer in Jordan. Jewelry, expensive electronics, and other irreplaceable valuables are best left safely at home.

Day excursions on the weekends will be available for interested parties, giving everyone an opportunity to explore Jordan's rich cultural heritage. For students enrolled for credit, these day trips to archaeological sites in Jordan are required and will be covered by their tuition fees. Other participants may join these trips for an additional, though typically minimal, fee (some entrance fees are covered by the Jordan Explorer Pass). The mid-point weekend of the project will be a two-day trip to Petra for all interested participants (July 11-13). Again, students will have their expenses covered, while others will need to cover their own accommodation, meals, and Petra entrance fees. See more below.

Our weekend tours this season will likely include the following (subject to change):

• Karak Castle (Crusader castle and later Mamluk fortress)
• Jerash (Roman Gerasa, a decapolis city)
• Desert Castles (early Islamic palaces and retreats)
• Moabite Sites of the Iron Age
• Madaba & Mt. Nebo (many periods but noted for mosaics from Late Antiquity)

Visit the Petra Archaeological Park during our mid-season trip to Wadi Musa July 12 & 13! We will head to Wadi Musa on Thursday afternoon (July 11) and return Saturday evening (July 13), giving participants a chance to explore Petra for a full day on Friday and a half day on Saturday if desired.

Entry to Petra is included in the Jordan Explorer Pass (which gives you 2 days in Petra; if you only want 1 day then choose the Jordan Wanderer Pass). If you do not purchase the Jordan Explorer/Wanderer Pass, you will need to purchase entry to Petra separately, which is 50 JD (70.5 USD) for one day or 55 JD (77.5 USD) for two days. For more information on visiting the park, go to http://www.visitpetra.jo. 

Please note that because we will arrive on a Thursday night to Petra, participants may have the option of joining a Petra by Night tour, which is a candlelit walking tour of the Siq, or entry canyon to Petra. This additional tour costs 17 JD per person and starts at 8:30 PM, running for 2 hours. Consider saving your energy for a sunrise entry to Petra the next day.

You have many accommodation options in Petra, from luxurious five star resorts to inexpensive hostels with the bare necessities. The BRAP will reserve a block of rooms at the Mövenpick Petra Resort, a 5 star hotel located right outside the entrance gate to Petra. If you choose to stay in this block, you will sign up through the project for a double room with breakfast and dinner included. The hotel has a beautiful outdoor pool and excellent buffet meals. We have organized a special rate of TBD USD per night per person, based on double occupancy, breakfast and dinner included. If you choose to book your own accommodation, note that you will be checking in on Thursday, July 11, and checking out on Saturday, July 14.