House XVIII

Occupation:
Late Byzantine to Early Islamic;
Late Ottoman to Modern

Size:                                   
19 m E-W by 24 m N-S

Field Seasons:           
1977, 1981


House XVIII is the largest residential complex in the SE quarter of Umm el-Jimal. Though its size and embellishments set it apart from most residences at the site, its plan of rooms grouped around a central courtyard with upper-storey apartments reach by cantilevered stairways is an excellent example of regional domestic style. Architectural details include crafted cornices, a double-arched window with central column, and a finely-cut basalt door—all of which point toward inhabitants of relative wealth. Unlike many similarly-planned houses at Umm el-Jimal, the ground floor shows no evidence of animal activity outside of the main courtyard.