Clark/Narrating Archaeological Sites, 2.The Quest for Early Christianity at Esbus

To what extent was the quest for evidence of Early Christianity an explicit goal of the original Heshbon Expedition? This chapter will inquire into the reasons why a partnership was formed with Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary, and members of their faculty, as part of the planning and execution of the original Heshbon Expedition. The excavations of the Acropolis Church and the North Church will be revisited, and in the process, the careers and contributions of two scholars will be highlighted: Bastiaan Van Elderen, professor of New Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary, focusing on his role in leading the excavation of the basilica at the Ḥisbān summit; and Bert de Vries, professor of history and archaeology at Calvin College, whose diligent and detailed architectural drawings are indispensable records. This chapter contextualizes the important work at Ḥisbān in the light of more recent excavations of the Ḥisbān North Church and of Early Christian contexts across Jordan, offering new directions for future research.