Southern Syria

Traditionally associated with the “Holy Land” and the target of early scientific investigations, southern Syria is one of the most intensively studied regions by archaeologists. Islamic archaeology has very old roots here, and many of the debates that have driven development of the field arose first in this region. This chapter, focusing primarily on Palestine and the Transjordan, evaluates the contributions to the field by archaeologists working there and critiques recent fieldwork as it informs such highly debated topics as Islamization, the collapse of the Late Antique polis, the militarization of frontiers, and rural resilience in times of political chaos. A special emphasis is placed on environmental and landscape research that has been opening new windows on rural society and the later historical periods.