Dibon of Gad

Dibon Of Gad

This place has lately acquired a great archaeological celebrity in consequence of the discovery there of the famous Moabitic stone of king Mesha (q.v.). The following is Tristram's description of the locality (Land of Moab, page 147):

"Dibon is a twin city, upon two adjacent knolls, the ruins covering not only the tops, but the sides, to their base, and surrounded by one common wall. Close under both knolls, on the west, runs a little wady, in which; after the late rains, we found a puddle of water here and there; and beyond the wady the even plain ceases, and the country becomes rocky and undulating. All the hills are limestone, and there is no trace of anyb asalt but what has been carried here by man. Still, there are mrafny basaltic blocks, dressed, and often with lime on them, evidently used in masonry; and we found a few traces of carvings on other stones. The place is full of caverns cisterns, vaulted underground storehouses, and rude semicircular arches, like the rest." (For plan of the ruins, see cut on following page.)