The institute project (2001 - 2015 - Gadara Region Project)

Prof. Dr. Dr. Dieter Vieweger, who was appointed director of the GPIA Jerusalem/Amman in 2005, is heading the Gadara Region Project, that has been running since 2001, since 2004 with the colloboration of Dr. Jutta Häser, director of the GPIA in Amman. This long-term project will involve the exploration of the Wadi el-'Arab (with over 100 prehistoric and classical sites) and the excavation of Tall Zirā‘a, a settlement hill that was inhabited for over 5000 years.

Former projects

After initial investigations in the necropoleis of Jerusalem by Gustaf Dalman, excavation projects began at the institute in the 1960s under Ute Wagner-Lux in Madaba and were followed by excavations in Jerusalem and Gadara (Umm Qais) in the 1970s; August Strobel investigated the eastern bank of the Dead Sea and excavated at Kallirrhoë (Ain ez-Zara), while Gunnar Lehmann and Martin Peilstöcker conducted a survey of the Akko plain. Volkmar Fritz began excavations in Kinneret (Tell el-Oreme) in the 1980s which he continued from 1994 to 1999. Hans-Dieter Bienert and Dieter Vieweger investigated the Neolithic site esh-Shallaf near Irbid together and Baja near Petra with Roland Lamprichs. Hanswulf Bloedhorn focused his attention on the architectural history of Jerusalem and studied the early Christian churches and Roman architecture in the Holy Land. Michael Heinzelmann ran projects in Schedia (Egypt) and in Hippos on Lake Tiberias.