“Telling” is the process by which a tell (tall in modern Jordanian spelling when part of a place name) is formed into a complex layer cake of occupations and settlements over the millennia. “Untelling” is what archaeologists do when they take a tell apart by means of excavation.

                  Tall al-`Umayri contains many chapters in its story, representing a span of 5,000 years of human life and survival in the area of central Jordan. What follows is the story of `Umayri’s tell formation and discoveries made while taking it apart.
  
Early Bronze Age, ca. 3000 BC:

At some point near 3000 BC inhabitants from around `Umayri constructed a megalithic dolmen, a large stone memorial.  

Early Bronze Age, ca.2500 BC:

This is the earliest major settlement of `Umayri, developed around 2500 BC, which covered most of the site and had no fortification walls.  

Middle Bronze Age, ca. 1600 BC:

Inhabitants of `Umayri, during the Middle Bronze Age, built massive defenses on the site, including a dry moat and huge rampart.

  Late Bronze Age, ca. 1300 BC:

From a time of rare architectural remains in Jordan we have a very nicely preserved two-room stone building with walls still standing ten feet high.

 
Iron Age, ca. 1200-1000 BC:

From the time of the judges and the settlement of Israel and Ammon, inhabitants rebuilt their town following an earthquake. The best preserved “four-room” house anywhere, along with associated buildings, scores of large jars and evidence of a devastating destruction come from this period.

 
Iron Age II ca. 700-500 BC:

Life at `Umayri during the Iron Age II period flourished with the establishment of a substantial administrative complex in the western sector of the city. A ceramic seal impression with the name of Ba`alyasha` (Baalis in Jeremish 40:14) gives us the first non-biblical reference to the Ammonite king who sponsored the assassination of Gedaliah, the governor over Judah placed there by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
  
Hellenistic Period, ca 200-100 BC:

Stone walls, storage bins and small finds, including several intact oil lamps and juglets along with other domestic items, suggest it was a small agricultural site. 

 
Roman Period, ca. AD 50:

Only one structure was found which dated to this time - a ritual bath complex which was likely part of a villa.  Byzantine Period, ca AD 600: While the surrounding countryside supported an immense population explosion, `Umayri has thus far revealed only ephemeral remains from the Byzantine period.
 
Islamic Period, ca. 7th-20th centuries:

During the Islamic periods, `Umayri was used primarily for agricultural purposes.  

Modern Era ca.2000:

Recent decades and years around `Umayri have witnessed phenomenal growth as Amman rapidly expands its way southward.