Search

This paper analyses and discusses marble found at the Roman site of Udhruh in southern Jordan. Marble is highly valued in Roman culture, and while its use in architecture was widespread across the empire, there were only a relatively few high quality sources. Southern Jordan was not one of these, and so Udhruh's marble was sufficiently highly regarded to be transported into the region from distant sources. Marble from the site was studied and then sampled followed by petrological, mineralogical, and geochemical investigation techniques to identify the possible source of marble. Results indicate that Udhruh's marble is quite hard calcitic marble exhibits exhibit xenoblastic texture, and the chemical composition indicates marble quarries in Greece with a probable contribution from Petra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nabataean Mansion at az-Zantur in Petra is one of the most elaborated architectural monuments has so far been discovered, and still among the few excavated Nabataean domestic architecture in the region. It covers a large area (1200m in area), and was richly decorated with mosaic, opus sectile, fresco and molded stucco. The date of its first two phases has been established on stratigraphic sequence of pottery, coins and cross-cultural evidence to the Nabataean period of the first century AD. The origin of the plan of this mansion, however, may be considered as a matter of debate. The excavator has suggested that this mansion was inspired by Ptolemaic palatial architecture, e.g the Palazzo delle Collonne in Cyrenaica. Here we argue, on space syntax method (SSM) basis, another possible source for the plan of this mansion i.e. the "Seleucid Governor Palaces'. Space Syntax analysis has wide application in and for archaeology including understanding features of social architecture, functional pattern of buildings, social identity, amongst others. The SSM method will be applied to compare, beside the spatial layout, the syntactic values and genotypes of the Nabataean mansion at az-Zantur-Petra with other palatial architecture in the Hellenistic Near East i.e. with the recently discovered Seleucid governor palace in Syria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to find the relationship between the drilling resistance (DR) of a stone and its porosity. 40 sandstone and limestone samples (20 each lithotype) were taken into consideration in this study. The samples were mineralogically and petrographically investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and polarized light microscopy. The sandstone samples were identified as quartz arenite that is composed of Quartz, Kaolinite and Calcite, while the limestone samples were identified as micritic limestone that is composed of Calcite. The average DR of the samples was measured using a Drilling Resistance Measurement System (DRMS), and the porosities were determined using a RILEM standard test method. A mathematical relationship between the DR and porosity was derived for both stone types. It was found to be a linear inverse relationship in both cases. The derived relationships were used to calculate the porosities of additional sandstone and limestone samples based on their measured average DR. The values of calculated porosities showed acceptable accuracy when compared with measured values. Therefore, this technique is recommended to estimate the porosity of stones with similar mineralogical compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite previous and continued excavations at Petra, many questions regarding the city center are still ambiguous for the archaeologists. The ruins on the side of the valley raised many questions about the nature, the function and the dating of these structures. For these reasons an excavation has been conducted at this site. The excavation uncovered an important public building which contained a public bath, used in the Nabataean, Roman and Byzantine periods, an apse and, in front of it, a platform and a structure with marble floor. The connection among these structures is not completely clear. Further investigation and analyses is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a study of Corinthians capitals with interlocked helices from four main locations: Jordan (Gerasa, Petra); Lebanon (Baalbek); Egypt (Alexandria); Italy (Rome); and Libya (Lepcis Magna). A typological study of Corinthian capitals with interlocked helices show two main types, the first, interlocked normal helices, the second, interlocked flowered helices. Those types were used on in general on temples during the Roman period. The study included is descriptions of the capitals, which are then compared with one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treasury is the icon monument of the world heritage site of ancient Petra city. Unfortunately, this important part of the world's cultural heritage is gradually being diminished due to weathering and erosion problems. This give rise to the need to have a comprehensive study and full documentation of the monument in order to evaluate its status. In this research a comprehensive approach utilizing 2D-3D documentation of the structure using laser scanner and photogrammetry is carried parallel with a laboratory analysis and a correlation study of the salt content and the surface weathering forms. In addition, the research extends to evaluate a set of chemical and physical properties of the case study monument. Studies of stone texture and spatial distribution of soluble salts were carried out at the monument in order to explain the mechanism of the weathering problem. Then a series of field work investigations and laboratory work were undertaken to study the effect of relative humidity, temperature, and wind are the main factors in the salt damage process. The 3D modelling provides accurate geometric and radiometric properties of the damage shape. In order to support the visual quality of 3D surface details and cracks, a hybrid approach combining data from the laser scanner and the digital imagery was developed. Based on the findings, salt damage appears to be one of the main problems at this monument. Although, the total soluble salt content are quite low, but the salts contamination is all over the tested samples in all seasons, with higher concentrations at deep intervals. The thermodynamic calculations carried out by this research have also shown that salt damage could be minimised by controlling the surrounding relative humidity conditions. This measure is undoubtedly the most challenging of all, and its application, if deemed feasible, should be carried out in parallel with other conservation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1967 the Group of Sculptures was discovered in Petra during clearance works organised by the Department of Antiquities in Jordan in the Temenos of Qasr el Bint around the Temenos Gate. One of these sculptures was a high relief statue of a female sphinx. Due to the paucity of information about this statue, this paper has been written to answer a number of questions: What was its original site or monument? When was it made? Who was the deity or deities it represented? Could there be another interpretation of its existence? The answers to the above provide enlightenment of Nabataean styles of carvings and an insight into their religious thoughts. Rgarding the interpretation of the Female Sphinx. Three ideas have been suggested. First, it can be the main Nabataean goddess Allat, "the mother of the gods". Second, it is an image of Petra as a goddess. Third, it is carved on the Temenos Gate as a guardian of Petra city in general and its holy monuments like temples and tombs in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nabataean pottery is distinguished by the thinness of its walls, which were sometimes only 1.5 mm thick. It was a pinkish/red color, often decorated by hand with dark brown flower and leaf designs. The typical (egg-shell) shallow open bowls productions were very difficult to make on the potter's wheel, demonstrating how skilled their craftsmen were. Nabataean painted pottery from Petra Jordan were examined in order to determine the mineralogical characteristics of the raw pigment materials used for their production and to elucidate the ceramic manufacturing technologies employed. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) were the analytical techniques used. The initial examination of the ceramic shreds in optical microscopy showed all samples to be identical in their paint and paste textures. The mineralogical composition of the paste (unpainted outer surface) is typical of a clay poor in calcium and fired at moderate-high temperature in an oxidizing atmosphere. The paste is composed of quartz, plagioclase, potassium feldspar, hematite, dolomite, and calcite. The latter two phases might be attributed to post-depositional contamination, since examination with both optical and scanning electron microscopes show fine carbonate particles deposited in the pores and cracks of the shred. The paint on the inner surface of the vessel, on the other hand is composed of hematite as a major phase with only some quartz and plagioclase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]