An Aerial Reconnaissance in Southern Transjordan

Abstract

Continuing south, we flew over the junction of the Sell Heidan with the Wadl el-Mojib. A couple of minutes later, we had passed near er-Ras,4 flown over the Tomb of Suleiman ibn Da'ud,5 were over the Lisan, and had circled over Umm el-'Aqareb 6 and Kh. 'Esal.7 Umm el-'Aqareb is situated several kilometres north of the Seil en-Numeirah near where it leads into the Dead Sea south of the Lisan, and Kh. 'Esal is located about a kilometre away from Umm el-'Aqareb, in the foothills to the east of it. From our position high above these sites, we could see the very clear traces of a road leading towards them, which descended the slope leading down from the Moabite plateau. Swinging inland, and rising, we followed the road which seemed to lead east-southeast towards Kathrabba, although we did not attempt to trace its entire length. Seen from on high it looked like a brand new, wide, and skilfully built highway, following the length of a distinct ridge which led from the direction of the top of the Moabite pleateau to the foothills bordering the Dead Sea below. There were sharp turns where the road zigzagged down steep slopes. Thinking that he was acquainted with all the roads in southern Transjordan, the writer was at a loss for a moment to understand how the Transjordan Government had suddenly produced a fine highway leading down towards the southern side of the Lisan, until he recalled the conversation with Squadron Leader Traill earlier in the morning dealing with just this road, which Traill had rightly perceived to be a Roman road. Subsequently we heard that the comparatively intact stretches of this Roman road are actually very rough, but from the height we were looking at it, it seemed at first that parts of it could still be traversed by modern conveyances. Turning around, we followed the clearly defined road, which we now observed was broken awav in places, particularly where the zigzag turns had been constructed. It led towards the Dead Sea, breaking off and disappearing completely on top of the foothills immediately above Kh. 'Esal. One branch of this Roman road may have led to the edge of the Lisan.8 Credible reports have it that a ford, which is no longer visible, was formerly used to cross over from the Lisan to the western side of the Dead Sea.9 The Roman road leading from Kh. Moteh to Kathrabbia to the Lisan has already been recorded by Musil.10 Although we did not see the continuation of this Romana road down to and through the Lisan, traces of this road were visible leading southward along the bottom slopes of the foothills which came down to, or border the small plains which in places front the east side of the Dead Sea. Only fragmentary, but clear outlines of this southward extension of the Roman road could be seen leading directly to the Ghor es-Safi, near the southeastern end