Guides: Alumni Travel Reading 2018-2019: Israel and Jordan

Archaeology

The Archaeology of the Holy Land by Jodi Magness
Call Number: Museum Library DS111 .M324 2012
ISBN: 9780521195355
Publication Date: 2012
This introductory book by a noted American archaeologist provides an excellent overview of the ancient history and archaeology of Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories with special attention to the city of Jerusalem, Caeserea, and Petra.
Archaeology in the 'Land of Tells and Ruins' by Bart Wagemakers (Editor)
Call Number: Museum Library DS111.1 .A74 2014
ISBN: 9781782972457
Publication Date: 2014
This volume summarizes the history of archaeology in the region by focusing on nine important sites, including Jerusalem, Khirbet Qumran, Caesarea, and Bet Shean. Following introductory essays about Leo Boer who had traveled as a student through the region in 1953-1954 and whose personal papers and photographs contributed to the volume, each chapter consists of an introduction to the site, a history of archaeological expeditions at the site, and suggested bibliography at the end.

Find below a list of UNESCO web pages, such the Baha'i gardens and caves on Mount Carmel, that are not included in other materials but are a good starting point for someone who is curious and inspired.

UNESCO World Heritage List: Masada http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1040

UNESCO World Heritage List: Necropolis of Bet She’arim: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1471

UNESCO World Heritage List: Nahal Me'arot/ Wadi el-Mughara Caves of Mount Carmel http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1393

UNESCO World Heritage List: Acre http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1042

UNESCO World Heritage List: Baha’i Holy Places in Haifa http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1220

Insightful Works into Contemporary Culture in the Region

Jerusalem: The Biography by Simon Sebag Montefiore
Call Number: Van Pelt Library DS109.9 .S43 2011
ISBN: 0297852655
Publication Date: 2011
A fascinating, well written dive into the deep history of Jerusalem through the ages, providing insight into the fast moving history of the region.
Once upon a Country by Sari Nusseibeh
Call Number: Van Pelt Library DS119.7 .N825 2007
ISBN: 9780374299507
Publication Date: 2007
Understanding the conflicts in the region is challenging, and finding a dispassionate guide to it not an easy task. Instead, let’s turn to memoirs of two towering figures in the region. Sari Nusseibeh is a Palestinian thinker, teacher, philosopher, activist, negotiator, and popular leader who tells the story of his family and his own experiences in defining a Palestinian identity in recent years.
A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz; Nicholas De Lange (Translator); Nicholas de Lange (Translator)
Call Number: Van Pelt Library PJ5054.O9 Z47313 2004
ISBN: 0151008787
Publication Date: 2004
Another native of the region, growing up just meters away from Nusseibeh, is the Israeli novelist and essayist Amos Oz. Oz came of age in the difficult years of the British mandate and the first Arab - Israel war and in his fiction and memoirs has become a strident voice for peace in the region.

For the Foodie

Palestine on a Plate by Joudie Kalla; Ria Osborne (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781566560696
Publication Date: 2016
Palestinian food is not just found on the streets, but in the home too—in the kitchens all across the country, where families cook and eat together every day, in a way that generations before them have always done. Palestine on a Plate is a tribute to family, cooking, and old home recipes created with love that bring people together in appreciation of the beauty of this rich heritage. Immerse yourself in the stories and culture of Palestine through the food in this book.
Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi; Sami Tamimi
ISBN: 9781607743941
Publication Date: 2012
Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi explore the vibrant cuisine of their home city--with its diverse Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities. This stunning cookbook offers 120 recipes from their unique cross-cultural perspective. With five bustling restaurants in London and two stellar cookbooks, Ottolenghi is one of the most respected chefs in the world; in Jerusalem, he and Tamimi have collaborated to produce their most personal cookbook yet.

Resources from the University of Pennsylvania

The Museum Library, located in the Academic Wing of the Penn Museum, has a rich collection of books and journals about archeology and cultural heritage in Israel and Jordan. Its holdings, as well as those of all the Penn libraries, can be searched through the catalog: https://franklin.library.upenn.edu

Since 1958, Penn Museum’s members-only publication, Expedition Magazine, has frequently featured well-illustrated content about sites and finds in the Middle East, and all but the most recent issue are available for free online.

Expedition Magazine 42.2 (July 2000) includes three articles about Petra by Paul Zimmerman and Leigh-Ann Bedal

https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/articles/volume42-issue2/

More recently, a special issue, Expedition Magazine 55.1 (March 2013), was devoted to Bet Shean

https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/articles/volume55-issue1/

Bibliographer

Selected and Annotated By:

Deborah Stewart, Head of John & Ada Lewis Museum Library

browndeb@upenn.edu

Dan Rahimi, Executive Director of Galleries, Penn Museum

Emily Benenhaley
Adminisrative Assistant

For more information, visit the Penn Alumni Travel Website

Dead Sea Scrolls & The Qumran Caves

The Dead Sea Scrolls by Timothy H. Lim
Call Number: Van Pelt Library BM487 .L53 2005
ISBN: 9780192806598
Publication Date: 2006
Timothy Lim presents the true facts and leading theories behind the cultural and historical background of the Dead Sea Scrolls. He examines their significance for our understanding of the Old Testament and the origins of Christianity and Judaism. He also tells the fascinating story of the scrolls since their discovery, explains the science behind their deciphering and dating, and elaborates on the scandals and controversies that have surrounded the scrolls’ rise to a cultural icon.
Dead Sea Scrolls by Michael Wise; Martin Abegg; Edward Cook
Call Number: Van Pelt Library BM487 .A3 2005
ISBN: 006076662X
Publication Date: 2005
A fully revised and updated edition of the translation of the complete Dead Sea Scrolls. With new texts, updated introductions, a glossary of terms, and other new additions, this will become the definitive translation of the Scrolls.
The Dead Sea Scrolls Today by James C. VanderKam
Call Number: Van Pelt Library BM487 .V26 2010
ISBN: 9780802864352
Publication Date: 2010
Best-selling book on the Scrolls, updated to reflect current scholarship and recent debates, this second edition of The Dead Sea Scrolls Today takes into account the full publication of the texts from the caves and the post-1994 debates about the Qumran site. It contains an additional section regarding information that the Scrolls provide about Second Temple Judaism and the groups prominent at the time.

For the Hiker

Hike in the Land of Israel: A Complete Guide to the Israel National Trail by Jacob Saar
Call Number: Van Pelt Library GV199.44.I72 S23 200
ISBN: 9789659124909
Publication Date: 2010
The Israel national trail is one of the most exciting hikes that expands over 1000 kilometers from the north to the south of Israel. You can hike its' entire length, or just selected sections of your choice. This ultimate Israeli hiking experience can easily be done with this guide that simply has all you need.
Hiking in Israel by Ya'acov Shkolnik; Eretz Magazine Editors
ISBN: 9781592642373
Publication Date: 2008
With over 6000 miles of marked hiking trails, Israel is one of the world's best-kept hiking secrets. This well illustrated book details hiking in Israel, complete with maps, photographs, itineraries and useful hiking tips.
Treks and Climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan by Di Taylor; Tony Howard
ISBN: 9781852842543
Publication Date: 2010
Wadi Rum is tucked away in the south of Jordan, close to the Red Sea port of Aqaba, remote and splendid in both landscape and culture. Since the first edition was published in 1987, the number of climbs has doubled. This book holds detailed descriptions and 'topos' of all the known routes to date, from short walks, camel treks and 4-WD journeys through to sports climbs and major 'big walls' of the highest technical difficulty.
Hiking in Jordan by Gregory Maassen; Chris Grant; Martin Smit (Designed by)
ISBN: 9781492811893
Publication Date: 2014
The authors describe in detail over 400 km (248 miles) of astonishing hiking trails and walks in amazing landscapes. Trails include the Seven Pillars of Wisdom and the Lawrence of Arabia Spring trails with magnificent views in Wadi Rum and the High Place of Sacrifice Trail with more monuments than most tourists see in Petra. The book provides easy to understand custom-made hiking maps, trail descriptions and travel directions.
Walking in Jordan: Walks, Treks, Caves, Climbs, and Canyons by Di Taylor; Tony Howard; Queen Noor Al-Hussein of Jordan
Publication Date: 2001
In Walking in Jordan, the authors' reveal an unexpected land of forested hills, beautiful dales carpeted in flowers, huge canyons with fast-flowing rivers, recently discovered caves, perfect limestone cliffs in wooded valleys and high mountains with lunar landscapes. This book gives descriptions to well over 100 routes with detailed information on everything you need to know about the routes.

Travel Guides

The Holy Land by Jerome Murphy-O'Connor
Call Number: Museum Library DS111 .M8 2008
ISBN: 9780199236664
Publication Date: 2008
The Holy Land, which has immense significance to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, has been attracting visitors since the fifth century BC. This book provides the ultimate visitor guide to the rich archaeological heritage of the region, including over 150 high quality site plans, maps, diagrams, and photographs of Jerusalem and throughout the Holy Land.
Israel and the Palestinian Territories by Kay Prag
Call Number: Van Pelt Library DS103 .P63 2002
ISBN: 0393322491
Publication Date: 2002
This guide provides comprehensive coverage of Jerusalem in a series of carefully planned walks, as well as a wide selection of maps, site plans, and ground plans. They are organized geographically and by political zones and are introduced by a chapter on the region's remarkable flora and fauna.
Jordan by Sue Rollin; Jane Streetly
ISBN: 9780393322507
Publication Date: 2002
Written by enthusiastic experts with much local knowledge, this Blue Guide is full of detailed practical advice on hotels, restaurants, and places of interest on and off the beaten track.

For the Naturalist

A Crack in the Earth: A Journey by Haim Watzman
Call Number: Van Pelt Library QE320 .W38 2007
ISBN: 9780374130589
Publication Date: 2007
The Jordan Rift Valley, stretching from the Red Sea to Lebanon, was ripped open millions of years ago by vast forces within the earth. It has been a part of human history ever since early humans used it as a path in their journey out of Africa. Haim Watzman, an Israeli journalist, took a two-week journey up the valley in the autumn of 2004, as his country was riven by a fierce debate over its borders. Along his journey, he met many unique individuals: scientists, an archaeologist, and a geologist just to name a few. Watzman's poetic evocation of the scientific and the human is a unique chronicle of a quest for knowledge.
Millennial Landscape Change in Jordan: Geoarchaeology and Cultural Ecology by Carlos E. Cordova
Call Number: Museum Library G76.5.J6 C67 2007
ISBN: 0816525544
Publication Date: 2007
Vegetation, soil horizons, and sedimentary deposits along with archaeological evidence suggest that during certain time spans within the past twenty millennia, Jordan was endowed with moister and more vegetated landscapes than the ones we see today. Carlos E. Cordova examines multiple topics to provide a comprehensive view of the changes in the Jordanian landscape and the many ways it has been affected by human habitation and the forces of nature.
Field Guide to Jordan by Jarir Maani
ISBN: 9789957862305
Publication Date: 2008
A comprehensive guide with beautiful photographs and concise descriptions of Jordan's diverse wonders. Locals and visitors alike can use this book to identify, learn about, and enjoy Jordan's wildlife habitats, parks and reserves, canyons, and deserts. The book also highlights a large selection of Jordan's mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, fish, and plants, as well as its rich archaeological treasures and geological history.
Birds of the Middle East by Simon Aspinall; Richard Porter
ISBN: 9780691148441
Publication Date: 2010
Birds of the Middle East is now the most field-ready and comprehensive guide to the fantastic birds of this region. This edition covers all species--including vagrants--found in the Arabian Peninsula, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Cyprus. It features 176 superb color plates depicting more than 800 species, as well as 820-color distribution maps that show the breeding range for almost every species.
Gardening in the Middle East by Eric Moore
ISBN: 9780905743493
Publication Date: 1986
Eric Moore is an American Horticulturalist with many years’ experience of landscaping and garden nursery operations in the Middle East. This book is for the amateur gardener as much as it is for the professional horticulturist wherever they may be in the Middle East.
Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East by Pierre Delforge
ISBN: 9780881927542
Publication Date: 2006
This field guide covers the identification, biology, and conservation of more than 520 species of orchid found in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The over 1000 color photographs and line drawings allow specialists, as well as botanists and interested tourists, to identify the wild orchids of the region.