Anderson University, SC, USA

The A 68 N tomb group is made up of 23 pots and one basalt vase. It was excavated as a part of the larger A 68 tomb group, which was discovered when another tomb group was being cataloged. A 68 in itself was a unique charnel house due to the fact that attached to its shaft, there were 5 tombs, the greatest number of tombs attached to single shaft found in any of the Lapp excavations. One of the five tombs in the A 68 tomb group was tomb A 68N. A 68N contained human bones in the center of the tomb, including long bones, phalanges, and scapula fragments. There is evidence that multiple bodies were placed in the tomb, as one scapula fragment was believed to be from a child of 10-12 years old and another was believed to belong to the scapula of an adult. To the left of the human remains, in a line, were 23 pots plus a basalt bowl placed in the center of the pots.^[2]Thomas R. Schaub and Walter E. Rast,Bâb Edh-Dhra: Excavation in the Cemetery Directed by Paul W. Lapp (Winona Lake: American School of Oriental Research, 1989) (p.98-99)

The pottery found in tomb group A 68N consisted of both jugs with a single handle and bowls.  Most of the excavated pottery was in good condition while it was excavated; there were mostly only chips, cracks and small pieces missing from most of the pottery, with only a few of the pots broken in half. Most of the pots found in A 68N have little to no design, as only a few had simple polka dot designs near their rim.^[3]Thomas R. Schaub and Walter E. Rast,Bâb Edh-Dhra: Excavation in the Cemetery Directed by Paul W. Lapp (Winona Lake: American School of Oriental Research, 1989) (p.98-99)

The A68N tomb group was purchased for $462 by Anderson College. A68N was Anderson College’s first choice in which tomb group they wanted.^[4]Correspondence from Gustav Jeeninga to Nancy Lapp 1978, 061 Jeeninga-Lapp January 1978, ASOR Archival, Department of Anthropology, DePaul University, Chicago IL  In response to Nancy Lapp’s 1981 letter,^[5]Correspondence from Nancy Lapp to “All”, 1981, Lapp to All January 1981, ASOR Archival, Department of Anthropology, DePaul University, Chicago IL Gustav Jeeninga, the director of the Anderson College Museum of the bible and near Eastern studies, wrote in a letter to Lapp that the pots were on public display, and that they were available for scholarly and classroom study as well. They were housed in the Anderson College Museum of the Bible and Near Eastern Studies which was located in the Anderson School of Theology. The letter also reaffirms that there are 23 ceramic pieces and one basalt vase in the tomb group.^[6]Correspondence from Gustav Jeeninga to Nancy Lapp 1981, Gustav Jeeninga February 1981, ASOR Archival, Department of Anthropology, DePaul University, Chicago IL

Currently, the A 68N tomb group is displayed to replicate how the bones and pots would look in the original Bab adh-dhra’ site in the Gustav Jeeninga Museum of Bible and Near Eastern Studies at Anderson University (formerly Anderson College).^[7]Correspondence from David Neidert to Nikki Nitti, January 27, 2018