This summer, Walla Walla University professor Monique Roddy will be excavating an ancient Moabite city as part of the Balu’a Regional Architectural Project. First dug in the 1930s by French archaeologists, Balu’a is the largest preserved Moabite city in Jordan. The dig at Balu’a is now being managed by La Sierra University, with contributing members from all over the world, including WWU.
This six-week trip is scheduled to take place from June 18 to July 30. Officially started in 2017, this is the fourth of five planned trips to Balu’a. Team members had planned to return to the dig every two years, but the COVID-19 pandemic and regional instability meant this is the first time the team has returned since 2022.
During the Iron Age, Balu’a sat at a crossroads of a major trading route in the Moabite kingdom. When the Romans conquered the area, they built a road bypassing the city entirely. The residents subsequently abandoned Balu’a, leaving its 40 acres to the desert. This uncommon abandonment means that archaeologists like Roddy can excavate the entire city without disturbing modern settlements.
Roddy has been with the BRAP team since 2016 and is currently one of the co-directors of the project. “Our responsibility is to put together one big volume that provides all the basic information about what we’ve done and then contextualize it within the Iron Age,” said Roddy. She is also editor of the BRAP Beat, a magazine produced during each trip.
Life on the BRAP starts early at 3 a.m., with crew members excavating until around 1 p.m. From there, they return to their hotel, where they spend the rest of the day cleaning artifacts and listening to lectures. Fridays and Saturdays are for rest and excursions to places like Petra.
One of Roddy’s favorite finds at Balu’a are doorways. Ancient standing doorways are rarely preserved, so finding one intact is special. “It’s always fun to try imagining what it would be like to live back then,” said Roddy. “You’re really thankful for your hotel with a clean bathroom.”
Applications for the summer 2026 dig have closed, but Roddy is planning on returning to Balu’a in 2028 with the BRAP team.
To learn more about this and other experiential learning opportunities offered by WWU’s Department of History and Philosophy, visit wallawalla.edu/history.
Posted March 19, 2026.
