The International Umm al-Biyara Project

Preliminary Report on the 2010 Season

by Stephan G. Schmid and Piotr Bienkowski

IV. Conclusions and perspectives

The Nabataean structures on Umm al-Biyara occupy the most extreme locations on the very edges of the summit overlooking the city of Petra, positioned so as to both maximise the view over Petra and the visibility of the buildings from Petra. There are clear indications of luxury within the buildings, such as water supply, heated rooms, baths, alabaster and marble slabs, decorative capitals and other architectural ornaments. Other structures on the summit suggest that a comprehensive view over all routes into Petra was a concern. Moreover, the best parallels to the positioning and layout of the buildings are to be found in the Herodian hill-top palaces. All these considerations suggest that we are dealing here with royal or elite installations, whose function was both control over the hinterland of Petra and routes into it, and an ostentatious display of wealth and domination.

Nevertheless, only actual excavation can reveal further details of these intriguing buildings. The preliminary season of survey work has provided some indication of the nature and date of these structures, as well as highlighted the logistical issues to be overcome in undertaking more extensive fieldwork on Umm al-Biyara. The authors are now planning a campaign of several seasons of excavation, with the objective of determining the precise nature, date and function of the Nabataean structures, and their role in the geo-politics of Petra and in the Nabataean realm.