"On the Dig, 1998"
This series of pictures is devoted to the 1998 excavation crew. I have nothing but praise for their hard work and dedication to the project. Several of them have extensive experience working on archaeological excavations in Petra and are an especially important asset to the project.
Unless otherwise indicated, all photos, illustrations and text on this site are Copyright © 1999,  Leigh-Ann Bedal.
  Last updated: January 2003
">
">
">
">
The 'Lower Market' excavation crew:
(l-r) Isma'een, Mohammed Aude, Suleiman, Dhyfala, Salman, Mohammed Haroun, Abdullah, and Ahmed.
Dakhilallah Koblan (left), foreman for the Great Temple-Lower Market excavations. His amazing ability to predict the architectural remains has inspired speculation that he lived in Petra during its Classical Period and may even have built some of its monuments.
Suleiman (right) and Mohammed Aude (far right).
Both worked closely with me in the Great Temple 1994-1997. They form the core of a small group of workers we fondly call the "Shadids" (strong in arabic). Mohammed Aude's artistic talent often came in handy on the site.
Liz Najjar (in blue), an undergraduate from Brown University and my right-hand woman in the field, supervises Isma'een and Ahmed sifting the earth for small finds in Trench 3.
Curious about the slow progress removing the topsoil in Trench 1, I took a swing at it myself and realized that the earth here was rock-hard. Dhyfala had to continue on as best he could. In this picture you can see many large stone blocks from when the pavilion (left) collapsed into the pool during the 363 CE earthquake
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
The excessive heat and hard work gets to everybody from
time to time.If team members were not getting along,
they were sent down into the deep sounding together
to straighten balks until they were smiling and friends again.
">
">
">
">
Even the "mudeera" (boss) is not immune from mischievous behavior. As I sat posing for what I thought was going to be a nice group picture, 
the whole crew was goofing on me behind my back.
What a team!