Research History

The site of Murayghat has been mentioned by many early travellers exploring the region, who noted the substantial archaeological remains at the sites, among these Irby and Mangles (1817-1818) and Claude Reignier Conder (1881). When Conder visited the site in 1881, he recorded the name of “El Mareighât … ‘the things smeared,’ with oil, or blood, or other thick liquid” (Conder 1889, 184).

Other translations of the name given to the project staff in 2014 were “site to picnic”, and “the site to enjoy the view” and meanings similar to the connection with thick liquid as reported by Conder. Many scholars have worked in the Madaba region since Conder noted the remains at Murayghat and mentioned visiting the site of Murayghat. 

In the 1930ies Murayghat was visited by the archaeological team from the Pontifical Institute excavating at Tuleilat Ghassul and again by Timothy P. Harrison, who visited the site in the early 1990ies.  Some years later, Stephen Savage surveyed the site (1999-2001). They reported material from the Chalcolithic, Early Bronze Age and later periods.

Since 2014 the Ritual Landscape of Murayghat project has explored the site through survey and excavation and has been conducting research at the site since then. The Ritual Landscape of Murayghat project confirmed the presence of Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age ceramic material along with a strong component of Middle Bronze Age material. The ceramic material of later periods is also represented in small amounts (i.e. Classical period and Islamic).