Dibon

Dibon, also spelled Diban or Dhiban, is an ancient city of the Moabites located in present-day Jordan. The site sits on a hill overlooking the Arnon Gorge in southern Moab, near the modern village of Dhiban. It was a major urban center in the Moabite kingdom and is named in biblical texts as Dibon-Dibonah.

One of the most important artifacts associated with Dibon is the Mesha Stele, a ninth-century BCE Moabite inscription recounting the reign of King Mesha and Moabite victories over Israel. The stele was discovered at the site in the 19th century and is now housed in the Louvre. It provides key linguistic and historical information about the Moabite language and religion, including the worship of Chemosh.

Archaeological remains at Dibon include fortifications, a gate complex, and public and domestic structures that span multiple periods. The site shows evidence of Bronze and Iron Age occupation and continued habitation into later periods, with influences from Hellenistic and Roman rule. Water-management works such as cisterns and channels indicate urban planning practices characteristic of ancient Near Eastern cities.

Today Dibon is an archaeological site in Jordan that continues to be studied by local and international researchers. It is protected as a heritage site and is part of broader Moabite and Jordanian antiquities programs.