Project summary

Joint project of Yale University and BSAJ, carried out between 1928 – 1930. Beginning at the church of St Theodore, the excavations cleared a number of churches in various locations on both banks of the river.

Project details

Location: Jerash (Jordan)

Year(s): 1928-1930

Project director(s): John Winter Crowfoot

Project team:

• Grace M. (Molly) Crowfoot (in 1928-1929),
• Dorothy Crowfoot (in 1928),
• A.H.M. Jones (in 1928-1929),
• Freda Jones (in 1928),
• Lieut. Commander Archibald G. Buchanan (in 1928 & 1929)
• Robert W. Hamilton (in 1929 & 1930),
• Ignaz Reich (architect) (in 1929),
• Dr Clarence Fisher (drawing plans) (in 1929),
• Joseph Schweig (photos) (in 1929),
• C.C. Roach (Yale) (in 1929).

Lead institutions and funding:

• Yale University,
• British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem (BSAJ).

Project description

Between March – June 1928, the excavation focussed on the Church of St Theodore, the atrium west of church, the colonnaded fountain-court with staircase to the east of church, with scene of water turning into wine, miracle at Cana.

Between March – June 1929, the staircase east of the church leading to the street was cleared as well as six churches in various locations.

In November – December 1929 and in April and May 1930, excavations were carried out on both banks of the river. On the east bank, at the north end of the town, a church with unique cruciform plan, dedicated in 464-5 A.D. to the Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, was excavated. This was the thirteenth church studied by the joint expedition. On the west bank further work carried out in the Fountain Court group of buildings and some trial trenches were cut in the courtyard of the Temple of Artemis.

The project was funded by Yale University (5/6) and BSAJ (1/6).

In 1928 BSAJ funding came from All Souls College Oxford, Craven Fund Oxford University, the Schweich Fund of the British Academy, the Byzantine Research Fund, Mr Henry J. Patten of Chicago. In 1929, funding came from Leopold Schweich Fund and All Souls College Oxford.

Project bibliography

Crowfoot, J.W. 1929. The Church of S. Theodore at Jerash, PEQ 61, pp. 17-36.

Jones, A.H.M. 1929. Notes on Jewish Inscriptions at Jerash, PEQ 61, p. 110.

Crowfoot, J.W. 1929. Jerash, 1929. Progress Report, 16th March to 4th April, PEQ 61, pp. 179-182.

Crowfoot, J.W. and Hamilton, R.W. 1929. The Discovery of a Synagogue at Jerash, PEQ 61, pp. 211-219.

Crowfoot, J.W. 1931. Recent work round the Fountain Court at Jerash, PEQ 63, pp. 143-152.

Crowfoot, J.W. 1931. Churches at Jerash – A Preliminary Report of the Joint Yale – British School Expeditions to Jerash, 1928-1930. Supplementary Paper 3. London: British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem.

Project media gallery

Published:07 June 2021