by Stephan G. Schmid, Zbigniew T. Fiema and Bernhard Kolb
II. Introduction
The North-Eastern Petra Project (NEPP) conducts an intensive surveying, mapping and documenting in the area of NE Petra (site marked as Rujm Umm al-Sunaydiq), being roughly the quarter of the city centre, between the Wadi Mattaha, the Wadi Musa and the Palace Tomb (figs. 1. 2). The ruined structures located there have, so far, been neither very extensively described nor fully and scientifically documented. The main activities of the NEPP are:
description, measuring and photographing of the extant ruined structures at the site (fig 3);
advanced electronic documentation of the entire complex in order to provide a reliable map of the area.
The NEPP site – consisting of several large ruined architectural entities – is located directly NE of the confluence of the Wadi Mattaha and Wadi Musa drainages, on the high hill overlooking the eastern end of the Colonnaded Street, and west of the Palace Tomb in Petra. The site is ca 350 m (E–W) x 250 m (N–S). Its northern extremity is occupied by Umm al-Harjal and the eastern one by Rujm Umm al-Sunaydiq, the latter seemingly being the name of the entire area.
Fig. 1: City Centre of Petra in a satellite picture with NEPP area marked in red (Google Earth, modified by S. G. Schmid)
Despite the existence of imposing and extensive structures at this large, densely occupied area, neither an exhaustive description nor proper surveying and mapping has been conducted there, as has been stated on previous occasions e.g., Wenning 1987: 245–246. . Brünnow and von Domaszewski, the early explorers of Petra in the early 20th century, reported only briefly and without any further commentary the discovery of a statue and some „ruins“ featuring few wall lines Brünnow – Domaszewski 1904: 318–319 nos. 412–415. . Alois Musil indicated the existence of several buildings on his map of the Petra city center Musil 1907, following p. 343. . Gustaf Dalman exclusively concentrated on rock-cut structures west of the NEPP area Dalman 1908: 314–329. . The scholars of the „Deutsch-türkische Denkmalschutzkommando“, the early 20th century German-Turkish project, which noted the existence of several buildings above a structure they interpreted to be a small theater. Furthermore, the German scholars pointed on the existence of a large, monumental „room“ of ca 30 m length Bachmann – Watzinger – Wiegand 1921: 32–33. .
Fig. 2: Petra Tourist Map with NEPP area marked in red (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, modified by S. G. Schmid)
It is most surprising that all relevant, modern maps of the Petra’s center feature almost no extant structures or ruins in this area despite that fact that these are clearly visible and quite significant in appearance. This fact is not only puzzling but, in fact, most detrimental for the Petra’s future. The area which the NEPP investigates witnesses almost no tourist activities despite its apparent interest. Hardly anybody visits the NEPP area, unless crossing it over in order to reach the Petra church on the other side of Wadi Mattaha, connected to the NEPP area by a small modern bridge.
Fig. 3: Topographical map of NEPP area with recorded structures (plan: J. Falkenberg and M. Holappa)
It is apparently incompatible with the recent increased interest in Petra and with all cultural resource management activities conducted in Petra in the last decades that one of apparently most significant areas of Petra, clearly notable for its outstanding ruins, remained neither carefully documented nor archaeologically explored. The NEPP attempts to redress this omission by conducting a comprehensive program of scientific exploration of the area. There are two compelling reasons for conducting this activity. First is the on-going natural deterioration of the site, despite its monumental architecture. Therefore, it is with great urgency that the NEPP carries out the necessary documentation of the site. Secondly, there is little doubt that the site could become a focus of future tourist development with regard to its monumentality and state of preservation. It is necessary to properly document the site in order to have a clear vision how the site could attract the attention of visitors and thus to entice them to spend more time in Petra. Therefore, following the end of the survey, the NEPP will also be prepared to submit general guidelines for such development from the archaeological point of view. At any rate, and in light of factors listed above, a complete survey and mapping of the area is an urgent desideratum in order to preserve the heritage of Petra and to include the area in future plans for various developments.
