Historical land use and landscape change in the Decapolis region

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Rupert Bäumler, since 7/2016; Professorin Dr. Bethany J. Walker
• Subject Area: Classical, Roman, Christian and Islamic Archaeology ; Soil Sciences ; Islamic Studies, Arabian Studies, Semitic Studies
• Term: from 2013 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 242739549

This project reconstructs historical land use and landscape change in the Decapolis region in northern Jordan, combining archaeological, historical and scientific methods, and asking fundamental questions regarding natural resources, human activities, and historical concepts of landscape. The overall aim of the project is studying land use and environmental change from the Bronze Age to modern times, choosing a comparative approach which takes advantage of the climatic gradients and resource diversity in the investigation region. The research focuses on the interplay of factors like climate, soil type, vegetation, and agriculture. A highly transdisciplinary research agenda and well integrated data collection strategies are adopted. Environmental, pedological, historical, and archaeological studies are conducted in the vicinity of Umm Qeis (Gadara), Abila, and Umm el-Jimal, allowing for comparison of land use and landscape change at three key sites. An intensive survey will be conducted to detect landuse patterns within the environs of these important sites, which are located in different climatic and pedological zones. On the one hand well proven methods of intense survey like transect survey or sampling of topo-environmental zones are used, and on the other hand new approaches in survey methodology will be implemented by establishing a pottery index, a durability-of-land-use index, and by calculating the degree of segregation among site types and activity zones. Pedological analyses including biomarkers and phytoliths are conducted in order to improve the precision of land use reconstruction, for example with regard to manuring. In addition, the investigation of widespread valley fills that were apparently deposited under more arid conditions during Late Antiquity, will allow for a detailed reconstruction of fluvial dynamics and vegetation change. The project tackles crucial problems like the analysis of off-site material culture distributions. The survey will be entirely innovative, as it is conducted in the context of soil properties, combining pedological analyses with multi-period material culture studies. Due to close cooperation with excavations, the project is embedded in a broader framework of regional studies in Northern Jordan, but also overcomes the geographical focus of these studies which are highly localised. The project brings together different universities and research institutions in Germany, Austria, and Jordan, and also different departments (Geography, Islamic Studies, Classical Archaeology) which rarely work together. By providing a large number of internships and two PhD positions, and by including many scholars in an early phase of their careers, the project provides excellent opportunities for young scientists. The results will be disseminated internationally including the provision of web based data catalogues and two international workshops held in Jordan.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Austria
• Partner Organisation: Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF)
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Günther Schörner
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Dr. Bernhard Lucke, until 7/2016