The AGAP Yacht Club 2015: Celebrating the 4th of July in Jordan

Gharandal celebrated America’s birthday in style – we’re on a boat!

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AGAP 2015 takes a cruise on the Red Sea

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Directors Erin and Robert Darby get to relax!

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Craig Harvey wonders why there was no yacht for Canada Day…

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Everything is better with flags!

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Madeleine Darby takes the wheel

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Look at the smart people wearing their hats as they set sail from Tala Bay!

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A view of the desert and Darna Village – nice to be on the water instead!

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It might be America’s party, but Jordan has some of the best watermelon in the world. Happy July 4th!

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Week Two in the Field

The second week at AGAP 2015 saw steady progress in all areas.

Keep digging, Gharandaliens!

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Emma and Daniel win the prize for first whole pot of the season!

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Emma Pugmire, incoming graduate student in Art History and Archaeology at Mizzou (Go Tigers!) with her goody.

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Our Bio-Arch team, aka “The Bod Squad” does its thing in the Roman fort

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Is that a visitor? Dr. Megan Perry of East Carolina University drops by to check out the goods and work being done by her former grad students, Jessica Walker & Kathryn Parker.

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A Roman coin! Bronze corrodes to a greenish color over time, so diggers have to keep an eye out for the gleam of green. Great job, Coral!

Shadow Team

Making shade is an important group endeavor

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House Shrub takes a break in the sand

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The Bod Squad’s winning entry from the Gharandal 2015 sandfort challenge. Go team!

trowels

Thus ends another successful week. Stay tuned for updates from the field!

Off-site adventures

Adventuring continues, even when our intrepid explorers are off-site!

Aqaba castle

a visit to the Aqaba castle from Lawrence of Arabia fame

Meanwhile, back at camp cultural learnings continue with “What not to wear” Gharandal edition.

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Jess points out Russell’s poor sartorial choices

what to wear in field

That’s better: knees and shoulders covered, and wear your hat!

Renee talking about refugees to students

A visit from MU’s Renee Reed-Miller to hear about the refugee crisis in Jordan

Humayma

A field trip to the site of Humayma in the Hisma…

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led by the Tiger of Gharandal himself, Mr. Craig Harvey

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everyone paid very close attention to Craig’s tour

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pool-side dining at its best!

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enjoying the comforts of Darna Village

1st night of Ramadan

Crescent moon over the Gulf of Aqaba on the first night of Ramadan – 4:30am will come quickly!

News from the Field!

Digging begins in the bath house!

Digging begins at 'Ayn Gharandal

The team is getting to know the tools of the trade

taylor with stick Taylor shows off the .5 meter stick

Coral with trowel Coral brandishes her trowel!

Ashley armed and ready for action Ashley shows this hoe who’s boss!

Meanwhile…

IMG_1174 (1)  A wall emerges in the fort!

Great work, House Shrub!

And how was that marvelous aerial photograph taken, you ask?

Bob with photostick with the world’s longest selfie stick!

Stay tuned for more adventures from the field!

In the words of the Legend of Byron McCane, the answers lie beneath.

WELCOME IN JORDAN!!!

It has been a very busy week as the ‘Ayn Gharandal team assembled in Aqaba, Jordan for the start of the 2015 season. Thus far 27 members of the team have arrived and only two lost their luggage in transit! Here are some photos of the team as they settle into their new home on Aqaba’s South Beach:DSC_0673 DSC_0670  DSC_0680 DSC_0681 DSC_0684 DSC_0675