March 27, 2025
To celebrate our 2024-2025 Grant recipients, we contacted our winners to learn about their projects and and share their unique experiences in the world of archaeology. We’re thrilled to announce Stephanie Selover, the winner of the prestigious Site Preservation Grant for 2024!
Site Preservation Grant Winner: Stephanie Selover (University of Washington)
The Baluʿa Regional Archaeological Project has been excavating the site of Khirbat al-Baluʿa in central Jordan, an important Iron Age (1000-550 BCE) Moabite city and large Middle-Late Islamic (1000-1900 CE) village. This summer, the project plans to continue excavations of both settlements and begin work on a long term conservation project of all excavated architecture. Conservation work will be carried out in cooperation with Sela for Training and Protection of Heritage, a local non-profit conservation and training company, and the Department of Antiquities of Jordan. In addition, we intend to put together a program of community engagement and education in Arabic. The community around the site of Khitbat al-Baluʿa includes local Bedouin groups and the populations of the nearby villages of Qasr and Smakkiya. Ultimately, the hope is that we can expand community involvement and see what would be of the most interest and of the greatest use to the local population.
How did you get your start in archaeology?
I have wanted to be an archaeologist since I was a small child. My mother always instilled in me a great love of learning, especially about cultures from all other the world. We would get copies of National Geographic and watch TV shows about archaeology. When I went to college, I was eager to finally take classes in archaeology and participate on a real excavation. As a student, I was able, through various grants from my university, to attend summer excavations in Italy and Turkey. It was while working in Turkey that I first fell in love with the Middle East, an area I work in to this day. I have been very lucky that I have attended universities with amazing archaeology departments that were able to financially support my first excavations. I think archaeology can and should be for everyone.
Where in the world has archaeology brought you (fieldwork, research, conference travel, etc.)?
I have worked in Sicily and Rome in Italy, as well as a number of sites in Northern California when I worked in Cultural Resource Management in the Bay Area. My primary area is the Middle East, where I have worked at numerous sites across Turkey, with settlements ranging from the Neolithic to the Byzantine. I have also worked in Israel, Syria and Jordan.
What is one of the most memorable things that has happened to you in the field?
My first season working at a site in Turkey, Çadır Höyük, where I have since worked for many years, I was asked to excavate at the top of the mound, in an attempt to quickly get into an earlier level. It was outside of the Byzantine City Wall, so it was thought there should not be much there, and we could easily go down quickly through the stratigraphy. However, almost immediately, we instead found a very well preserved and highly burnt room from the late Byzantine period, the final level at the site. The walls were painted red and plastered, and the room was full of religious materials and burnt weapons. In fact, the room ended up being so well preserved that it remains intact on the mound to this day, one of the best preserved areas of excavation. I was supposed to open a new trench that was to last a few seasons, and managed instead to close it within two weeks.
How has the AIA contributed to your success/professional goals?
The AIA has always been a source of encouragement to me. They have really fantastic talks, both at the national and local level, allowing me to see a wide variety of presentations on what other archaeologists are doing. I have always enjoyed the AIA conferences for the same reason. Finally, I have often steered students towards the AIA excavation grants, which have helped a number of my students find funding to help them go to the field. I think this is the most important part of all.
Learn more about what Grant and Fellowship opportunities are available through the AIA.
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