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Khirbat Iskandar is an Early Bronze Age (ca. 3800-1950 BCE) mound in the Madaba Governorate of Jordan. Until a decade ago, it was better known as a key site for the non-urban Early Bronze IV period (ca. 2500-1950 BCE), but is increasingly emerging as a signature site for the urban Early Bronze II-III period (ca. 3050-2500 BCE). The contour of the tall site is shaped by the presence of buried fortifications that were investigated in the north-western sector of the mound, where a long sequence of rebuilds was recognized, but were exposed to and impacted by modern construction activities along the southern and south-eastern areas prior to being recorded. There, due to erosion and weathering, the stone fortifications dating to the first half of the Early Bronze III (ca. 2850-2650 BCE) fell down. In this paper, we report on our strategies to assess threats, document damages, sustainably stabilize, and consolidate the collapsed ancient fortifications in the 2023 field season at Khirbat Iskandar. At the same time, we discuss the conceptual/methodological and practical challenges of identifying best practices in the conservation and preservation of antiquities that collapsed prior to being excavated. We conclude with some thoughts on how to build on these actions to efficiently present the archaeology and cultural heritage at protohistoric sites, like Khirbat Iskandar, and to make it accessible for the local and the international communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consensus exists on the importance of heritage for ensuring sustainable futures, due to its impact on political aspects, ethical reflection and local economic development. Nowadays, using technology has become crucial in the construction industry, including heritage conservation. This paper aims to compare a selected sample of digital platforms, gathering data in support of heritage documentation, both for heritage and archeological sites. Despite the huge potential of digital technologies for contributing to heritage conservation, still there is a need for more clarity on what should be used to achieve different goals and what is the best approach under various circumstances. A team of five experts on digital technologies applied to different types of heritage worked collaboratively to gather the case studies in this paper and to analyse them comparatively. Jordan is a Middle East and North Africa country chosen as unit of analysis, because of the huge potential of digital technologies for heritage documentation. The findings from the comparative case review offers a reflection on what should best adopted for achieving different goals. Differences of approaches were revealed between the characteristics of heritage site and those of archaeological sites in Jordan's conservation history. The findings called for a prioritization of using digital technology in both heritage and archeological sites. The discussion on digital platforms currently available in Jordan allows for highlighting strengths and limitations of different approaches and methodologies, thus drawing lessons for addressing the strategic choice of the most appropriate digital solution under different circumstances and in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Jordan Valley, reconstructed changes of the Sea of Galilee level have shown sharp fluctuations of the water elevation during the Holocene. In this paper, we provide new data originating from the excavations of Kursi Beach archaeological site located on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee and compare them with other data gathered from the archaeological site of Magdala, located on its western shore. Our data yield to constrain Sea of Galilee level changes between the Iron Age II (10th-9th centuries BCE) and the Crusader period (11th-12th centuries CE), a period of high interest for the archaeological community. We demonstrate that water level was around -212 to -210 m mean sea level (msl) for the Iron Age II period. Lake level rose to -208/-209 m msl during the Late Hellenistic/Early Roman period. Water level remained low (<-213/-214 m msl) from the Byzantine to the Crusader period (from 5th to 12th centuries CE). Our data provide new knowledge for the understanding of variations in the Sea of Galilee level in antiquity. We highlight that water level fluctuations must have been key factors taken into account in the habitation pattern., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Nineteen broken and complete bone fish hooks and six grooved stones recovered from the Epipaleolithic site of Jordan River Dureijat in the Hula Valley of Israel represent the largest collection of fishing technology from the Epipaleolithic and Paleolithic periods. Although Jordan River Dureijat was occupied throughout the Epipaleolithic (~20-10 kya the fish hooks appear only at the later stage of this period (15,000-12,000 cal BP). This paper presents a multidimensional study of the hooks, grooved stones, site context, and the fish assemblage from macro and micro perspectives following technological, use wear, residue and zooarchaeological approaches. The study of the fish hooks reveals significant variability in hook size, shape and feature type and provides the first evidence that several landmark innovations in fishing technology were already in use at this early date. These include inner and outer barbs, a variety of line attachment techniques including knobs, grooves and adhesives and some of the earliest evidence for artificial lures. Wear on the grooved stones is consistent with their use as sinkers while plant fibers recovered from the grooves of one hook shank and one stone suggest the use of fishing line. This together with associations between the grooved stones and hooks in the same archaeological layers, suggests the emergence of a sophisticated line and hook technology. The complexity of this technology is highlighted by the multiple steps required to manufacture each component and combine them into an integrated system. The appearance of such technology in the Levantine Epipaleolithic record reflects a deep knowledge of fish behavior and ecology. This coincides with significant larger-scale patterns in subsistence evolution, namely broad spectrum foraging, which is an important first signal of the beginning of the transition to agriculture in this region., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Recent archaeological investigation at Khirbat al-Mukhayyat and nearby Rujm al-Mukhayyat in west-central Jordan have sought to determine the nature and date of Iron Age activity at these sites. Identified as the Nebo of biblical tradition and the Mesha Inscription, Khirbat al-Mukhayyat fulfilled a strategic role within the region. Positioned at the western edge of the Transjordanian plateau, the site holds a commanding view of the Jordan Valley and Judean highlands to the west, enabling inhabitants to monitor access to and from the Jordan Valley, as well to take advantage of agricultural opportunity within the region. This strategic position is reflected in Mukhayyat's contested history under Israelite, Moabite, and eventually Assyrian control. With significant contexts dating to the Iron IIB and Iron IIC at Khirbat al-Mukhayyat, and late Iron Age/Persian period activity at the Rujm al-Mukhayyat, this paper presents the preliminary results of excavation and survey efforts together with ceramic data, providing an important contribution to the study of the Iron Age in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Listed as a World Heritage Site since 1985, the city of Petra is well regarded as the most important attraction in Jordan that is internationally recognized for its rare archaeological remains, monuments and façades that date back to Nabataean times. This paper presents an inter-disciplinary approach, which is co-constructed by an academic archaeologist and a sustainable tourism researcher that considers the integration of three rare and significant Neolithic villages as a unique extension of the cultural and heritage tourism experience in Petra. The paper begins by deliberating the implications of World Heritage Status for iconic and flagship destinations such as Petra. From this, results of a review of secondary research and interviews with local tour operators are presented which explored the issues and challenges that may inhibit the inclusion of the Neolithic villages as part of the Petra attraction system. The authors propose that an attraction diversification strategy and a sustainable tourism-planning approach are necessary to sustain the destination’s long-term future, conserve Petra’s archaeological sites, ensure economic benefits and appropriate participation of local communities within the region, and to serve as a way to attract more appreciative visitor markets to the region. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The rapidly growing global population places cultural heritage at great risk, and the encroachment of modern settlement on archaeological sites means that valuable information about how past societies worked and interacted with the environment is lost. To manage and mitigate these risks, we require knowledge about what has been lost and what remains, so we can actively decide what should be investigated and what should be preserved for the future. Remote sensing provides archaeologists with some of the tools we need to do this. In this paper we explore the application of multitemporal, multisensor data to map features and chart the impacts of urban encroachment on the ancient city of Jerash (in modern Jordan) by combining archives of aerial photography dating back to 1917 with state-of-the-art airborne laser scanning. The combined results revealed details of the water distribution system and the ancient city plan. This demonstrates that by combining historical images with modern aerial and ground-based data we can successfully detect and contextualize these features and thus achieve a better understanding of life in a city in the past. These methods are essential, given that much of the ancient city has been lost to modern development and the historical imagery is often our only source of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tour guides play a key role in the archaeological site visitor experience by providing interpretation and information. The archaeological site of Jarash, Jordan, is an important heritage destination for a diverse tourist market. It is located in a cultural landscape setting where many archaeological and historical monuments are well preserved. However, at present, this heritage rich seems far from being completely interpreted and valorized by not only local people but also by visitors. This paper reflects on the information and stories provided by tour guides about sites where heritage tourism experiences take place. Within this context, interpretation by tour guides is analyzed. A mixed-methods approach is used to accomplish this and includes qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, participant observations and desk research. The analysis is helpful in confirming that the way tour guides interpret a site influences site valorization and visitor experiences directly. From a practical perspective, the findings provide important insights for understanding how to develop an interpretative model that utilizes site values and the potential for providing better visitor experiences. The findings of this study provide a better understanding of guided package tours and provide suggestions for tour guides and heritage site managers in Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article informs about the ninth international conference on the History and Archaeology of Jordan. One hundred and twenty papers were presented during the five-day conference. The papers were grouped according to eleven themes exploring such varied issues as land and water use in antiquity, production and trade, elites and gift exchange, transportation technologies, and cultural resource management. All prehistoric and historic periods, with the exception of the Paleolithic, Epipaleolithic, and Middle Bronze, were the subject of papers. Sites and areas from throughout Jordan were discussed.

This paper presents a new type of locally manufactured Intermediate Bronze Age storage jar. Its distribution is restricted to northeastern Samaria and along the Jordan Valley. This jar type provides a glimpse into the highly regional aspect of the pottery production in the IBA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the period between the end of the First World War and the declaration of the Palestine Mandate, a system for administering Palestine, preserving its heritage and protecting, reconstructing, and promoting its antiquities was implemented. Archaeology, though underfunded by government, was touted as one of the jewels of the Mandate administration. This paper will discuss the political framework for archaeology and tourism in British Mandate Palestine and Transjordan, introducing some of the key characters in the history of archaeological or heritage tourism in Mandate Palestine and Transjordan. It will present archaeology's impact within the British Mandate administration as particularly useful for forging a unique identity to solidify Mandate authority in the region. The effects of this archaeological/political connection are still visible in Israel and Jordan today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents laboratory analyses of selected pottery sherds from the ancient site of Udhruh in southern Jordan. The site exhibits pottery sherds from Nabataean times up to the late Islamic period. However, in this study the samples were randomly chosen. The analyses were carried out using a scanning electron microscope equipped with specialist software. The paper establishes the historical context of Udhruh, the methodology employed, and the results of the study. The results reveal differences in the chemical composition of samples, and a variety of manufacturing techniques, only some of which appear to have been of local inspiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tries to shed more light on the history of Islamic Petra and concentrates particularly on the Jabal Haroun area. Five new Islamic inscriptions dated to the early, middle and late Islamic periods are published below for the first time. These confirm the sanctity of the site during these periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wadi Arabah forms part of the modern political border between Jordan and Israel. The paper explores the polarized ways in which the wadi has been constructed and interpreted within the archaeological and geopolitical discourse. Through a phenomenological analysis of landscape, power and identity, using insights from bedouin poetry, the landscape of the wadi is revealed as emotionally meaningful in its materiality, as a sacred/symbolic, conceptual/socio-political, sensual landscape, a landscape of movement and of memory, absence, loss and abandonment. In this landscape, populated and crossed by many different groups who were not necessarily subject to shared social, institutionalized norms, different groups had different resources, abilities and knowledge which they brought to any encounter with another group, and which were integral to their identity. These encounters developed as reciprocal relationships and negotiations rather than as traditional 'power relationships'. This helps to explain the longevity of the key aspects of the tribal kingdom model, previously proposed by the author and others; these aspects are rooted in reciprocal relationships based on different resources, 'power', and knowledge of the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past several years have witnessed exciting developments in defining the transition to food production in the Near East. In particular, the documentation of large mega-sites has caused considerable revision in our comprehension of the trajectory of early Neolithic village life. At the same time, recent excavations at smaller villages have also provided considerable new data. One such site is Ghwair I, a small but exceptionally preserved Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) village located in the Wadi Feinan of southern Jordan. This paper summarizes the results of interdisciplinary archaeological investigations at Ghwair I. One of the project's primary research objectives was to examine if a "rural" and "urban" (or "core/periphery") distinction could be made between Ghwair I and mega-sites. Our findings suggest that Ghwair I was not a peripheral village linked to larger sites. Rather, it was an unexpectedly complex settlement that may have served as a local regional center. We also sought to precisely define the site's chronology, artifactual variability, village development, and social structure. Our results show that Ghwair I is firmly dated to the Middle PPNB; that artifactual diversity and variability is considerable, especially amongst chipped and ground stone; that the village became increasingly complex throughout its occupation; and that social organization was sophisticated as reflected by artifacts, burials and both residential and non-residential architectural features. Finally, we initiated an ecological study to determine if small settlements such as Ghwair I caused the same negative effects as have been proposed for some larger sites. The evidence here is ambiguous, but does not suggest the same degree of human effect as at larger settlements. This paper concludes with a discussion of Ghwair I's place within the wider Neolithic world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper calls attention to the presence of countless ancient paths on the basalt-covered surfaces characteristic of harra landscapes in north-eastern Jordan. These paths have developed over the course of at least the last two millennia, and potentially prior to that, by trafficking of nomadic peoples and animals. These paths facilitated movements through terrains that were otherwise difficult to traverse. Paths can be recognised on high-resolution satellite imagery, which allows for systematic documentation and the reconstruction of potential routes through the landscape. The identification and mapping of these paths is important for better understanding mobility patterns of nomadic peoples who inhabited these desert landscapes in antiquity. Highlights • Ancient paths were identified on harra surfaces in northeastern Jordan. • Paths can be systematically mapped using high resolution satellite imagery. • Paths developed as a result of trafficking of people and animals. • Paths were used to traverse the landscape at least for the last 2000 years. • Routes relate to nomadic exploitation of the environment on a local scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Excavations at the site of Wadi Mataha, located in Southern Jordan, revealed stratified Epipalaeolithic occupations containing Geometric Kebaran, Early Natufian, and Late Natufian deposits. Although the Middle Epipalaeolithic occupation at the site is small, it contains a human burial in a face-down burial position, along with groundstone artifacts, suggesting a unique burial practice was enacted at the site. This paper explores the Geometric Kebaran component of Wadi Mataha, focusing on the lithic assemblage and the recovered human burial. Despite the small size of the assemblage, techno-typological and functional analysis of the lithics and the presence of a human burial suggests that small, limited term occupations were still considered important and symbolically charged places in the landscape. Wadi Mataha represents one of the southernmost extents of Geometric Kebaran occupations in Jordan, making it an interesting case study to understand regional mobility and movement during the Middle Epipalaeolithic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological sites have been subjected to preservation efforts due to their significant historical and cultural value, as well as their vulnerability. Several advanced digital imageries and modeling technologies have been proposed in the literature and adopted in practice to obtain accurate data required to manage and restore archaeological sites. This study proposes an integrated data collection and analysis methodology combining aerial and close-range photogrammetry, geographic information systems (GIS), and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technologies to capture essential geospatial and geophysical information for preserving archaeological sites. The integrated methodology was applied and demonstrated with data and information collected from the important archaeological site of Qaser Amra, which is an ancient castle located in the desert in Jordan. The proposed methodology generated various levels of details, including a 2.5-dimensional geo-reference model, a GIS vector site layout, and a three-dimensional (3D) textured model. Subsurface detection of anomalies was performed across the site using the GPR technology. Most anomalies indicated shallow subsurface walls buried within depths ranging from half to one meter and at different extensions. Moreover, based on the GPR data, the horizontal and vertical extent of Qaser Amra's walls were defined using 3D imaging. The integrated 3D archaeological model of Qaser Amra can be used for archaeological documentation, maintenance and monitoring, conservation, tourism, and urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author provides a history of heritage tourism in British Mandate Palestine and Transjordan. The British Mandate period, happening from 1920 to 1948 in Palestine and 1920/23 to 1946 in Transjordan, is contestedly one of the most divisive in twentieth-century history. There is a relatively organized and fairly publicized archaeological sector in the area.

Abstract: The finding of considerable collections of glass artefacts, together with considerable lumps of glass chunks, fuel ash slag and kiln fragments related to glass processing strongly suggests a local secondary production (working) of glass at the Beit Ras/Capitolias archaeological site in northern Jordan from the late Roman to the early Byzantine period. The chemical analysis of ancient glasses can provide important information regarding the manufacturing technology of the glass made during a specific period. The aim of this study is to characterise the chemical and technological aspects of late Roman to early Byzantine glasses excavated from this main archaeological site. Furthermore, the present paper aims to provide incontrovertible evidence that this site must be considered as a major centre for the secondary production of glass during a period between the 3rd and the 6th centuries. For this purpose, a considerable group of raw glass chunks and vessel fragments of different colours and typologies were collected. The results of chemical analyses indicated that the glass did not show a clear difference in chemical composition between late Roman and early Byzantine times. All the glasses (artefacts and chunks) are of the soda-lime-silica type and correspond to the previously defined Levantine I glass group. The chemical composition of the glass chunks, identical to that of contemporary glass of the same colour, strongly suggests that these chunks were used for the manufacture of late Roman to early Byzantine glass at Beit Ras. The observation of technological features indicates that glass chunks were produced in massive tank furnaces in other primary production centres elsewhere, and were meant for local reworking. According to the microscopic examination, it can also be observed that mould-blowing was the main technique used for forming glass. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article charts the nascent development agendas for archaeological heritage and tourism at Petra in Jordan. We begin with the early internationalism of UNESCO and its participation programme for Petra followed by the restructuring of American foreign policy interests to embed heritage tourism within USAID projects. A technocratic tourism-as-assistance model galvanised USAID and the World Bank's interest in Petra, as it did the CIA, the American Schools of Oriental Research, the US National Park Service, and Jordan's Department of Antiquities. Thus, we reveal how saving Petra was underwritten by an increasing American vigilance in the Middle East. Unlike the educational and humanitarian components of the United Nations programme, the USAID and World Bank initiatives at Petra were almost exclusively directed toward tourism development, generating hard-currency revenue, monetising the Nabataean ruins, and sowing the seeds of predatory capitalism. Our longitudinal study reveals that what has been sustained at Petra is not the preservation of heritage, nor support for local communities, but rather an overburden of international bureaucracy and consultancy culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A particular theme dominates contemporary heritage projects in the neoliberal context of Jordan: sustainable development on the basis of participatory approaches. Although these approaches are celebrated in academic and governmental circles, the history and power dynamics within which they operate remain underexplored. We aim to establish a theoretical framework that examines why and how local communities in the Arab region shifted from periphery to centre, and from background to foreground, in the field of archaeology and heritage. We situate archaeology and heritage within two seemingly different contexts, colonialism and neoliberalism, that have governed the relationship between the West and the Arab region. As we contrast colonialist exclusionary policies with the inclusivity promoted by neoliberal policies in archaeological and heritage projects in Jordan, we argue that despite the obvious differences between the two, they both managed to make substantial shifts in the perception of and attitudes toward archaeology and heritage. In spite of participatory paradigms, the shifts seem to have always come 'from the outside', operating on sites and peoples alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological research, especially field excavation research, despite due diligence, may lead to irreversible damages. That is why preparing detailed and comprehensive documentation is essential part of archaeological work before and during exploration of archaeological sites. In such cases, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are currently widely used to register state of preservation of archaeological sites and objects. Data collected by UAV allows to generate digital terrain models (DTMs) and orthomosaics. In turn, they (along with results of other research, such as geophysical surveys) form the basis for selection of excavation areas. In this paper authors present process of DTMs and orthomosaics of archaeological sites generation without using UAV. The studies in order to provide documentation of two archaeological sites in southern Jordan: the ancient city of Tuwaneh and the Roman fort in Dajaniya, were conducted as a part of the BARI -Buildings ARcheology Inventory project, which was carried out in cooperation with the Institute of Archeology of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. Unfortunately, due to formal regulations using UAV in the territory of Jordan was not possible (no permission to import and use UAV from the Jordanian government administration). Therefore, it was decided to collect survey data with the use of alternative method – GoPro action camera mounted on boom. In this article, authors describe the full methodology of conducting measurements and the results of tests aimed at determining the accuracy of generated photogrammetric products. Optimization of ground control points was discussed along with amount of images collected. Referential measurements were carried out by means of FARO FocusM70 laser scanner and close range photogrammetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the punctuated equilibrium model has been employed in paleontological and archaeological research, it has rarely been applied for technological and social evolution in the Holocene. Using metallurgical technologies from the Wadi Arabah (Jordan/Israel) as a case study, we demonstrate a gradual technological development (13th-10th c. BCE) followed by a human agency-triggered punctuated “leap” (late-10th c. BCE) simultaneously across the entire region (an area of ~2000 km2). Here, we present an unparalleled, diachronic archaeometallurgical dataset focusing on elemental analysis of dozens of well-dated slag samples. Based on the results, we suggest punctuated equilibrium provides an innovative theoretical model for exploring ancient technological changes in relation to larger sociopolitical conditions—in the case at hand the emergence of biblical Edom–, exemplifying its potential for more general cross-cultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, an extraordinary burial of a young adult individual was discovered at the Late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (LPPNB, 7,500–6,900 BCE) settlement of Baʻja in southern Jordan. This burial has exceptional grave goods and an elaborate grave construction. It suggests discussing anew reconstructions of early Neolithic social structures. In this article, we will summarize former theories on the emergence of leadership and hierarchies and present a multivariate model according to which anthropological and archaeological data of the burial will be analyzed. In conclusion, we surmise that early Neolithic hierarchization in southern Jordan was based on corporate pathways to power rather than self-interested aggrandizers. However, some aspects of the burial point to regional exchange networks of prestige goods, a trait considered characteristic of network based leadership. In line with anthropological and sociological research, we argue that pathways to power should be considered as relational processes that can be understood only when comparing traits of the outstanding person to her/his social environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable work has gone into developing high-precision radiocarbon (14C) chronologies for the southern Levant region during the Late Bronze to Iron Age/early Biblical periods (∼1200–600 BC), but there has been little consideration whether the current standard Northern Hemisphere 14C calibration curve (IntCal13) is appropriate for this region. We measured 14C ages of calendar-dated tree rings from AD 1610 to 1940 from southern Jordan to investigate contemporary 14C levels and to compare these with IntCal13. Our data reveal an average offset of ∼19 14C years, but, more interestingly, this offset seems to vary in importance through time. While relatively small, such an offset has substantial relevance to high-resolution 14C chronologies for the southern Levant, both archaeological and paleoenvironmental. For example, reconsidering two published studies, we find differences, on average, of 60% between the 95.4% probability ranges determined from IntCal13 versus those approximately allowing for the observed offset pattern. Such differences affect, and even potentially undermine, several current archaeological and historical positions and controversies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication article provides a call for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) users in archaeology to make imagery data more publicly available while developing a new application to facilitate the use of a common deep learning algorithm (mask region-based convolutional neural network; Mask R-CNN) for instance segmentation. The intent is to provide specialists with a GUI-based tool that can apply annotation used for training for neural network models, enable training and development of segmentation models, and allow classification of imagery data to facilitate auto-discovery of features. The tool is generic and can be used for a variety of settings, although the tool was tested using datasets from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Iran, Iraq, and Jordan. Current outputs suggest that trained data are able to help identify ruined structures, that is, structures such as burials, exposed building ruins, and other surface features that are in some degraded state. Additionally, qanat(s), or ancient underground channels having surface access holes, and mounded sites, which have distinctive hill-shaped features, are also identified. Other classes are also possible, and the tool helps users make their own training-based approach and feature identification classes. To improve accuracy, we strongly urge greater publication of UAV imagery data by projects using open journal publications and public repositories. This is something done in other fields with UAV data and is now needed in heritage and archaeology. Our tool is provided as part of the outputs given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rock-cut monuments in the ancient city of Petra in Jordan form an outstanding tangible heritage site. Unfortunately, this important part of the world's cultural heritage is gradually being diminished due to weathering and erosion problems. In this research, an approach combining in situ surveying and laboratory analysis is applied in order to provide sufficient and comprehensive data regarding the documentation and evaluation of the status of the Al-Deir monument in Petra. The purpose was not only to quantify the damage, but also to make a first step towards creating a 3D monitoring programme of the deterioration rate. The approach presents a correlation study between the environmental condition and the surface weathering damage, using 2D mapping of the weathering form and accurate 3D realistic modelling from laser scanning and digital photogrammetry. The 2D mapping provides detailed weathering damage information for the entire stone surface of the monument, whereas the 3D modelling provides information on the spatial distribution and texture of the damage. Additionally, the 3D digital model can provide reference data as an exact guide to the restoration needed. In order to support the visual presentation of 3D surface details, a hybrid approach combining data from laser scanning and digital imagery was developed. 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. Relative humidity, temperature, and wind are the main factors in the salt damage process. In order to study the effect of these conditions in the salt crystallization process a series of fieldwork investigations and laboratory work were undertaken. The results show that visible zoning of weathering damage is correlated to different salt concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This memoir, which is based on a version presented as the Twentieth Crystal Bennett Memorial Lecture for the Council for British Research in the Levant at the British Academy on 7 March 2008, attempts a brief retrospective and assessment of Crystal Bennett's archaeological career and achievements. Her training in Romano-British archaeology was an influence on her subsequent work in the Near East, in particular on her major contribution to the study of the Iron Age of southern Jordan and the Edomites of the Bible. Her strengths were especially as field archaeologist, organizer and colleague. She had a challenging and successful role as first director of the British Institute at Amman and her support of the young is gratefully remembered. The occasion of my lecture provided a welcome opportunity to remember her role as colleague and friend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This section offers news briefs related to the Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF). A second aerial archaeology workshop was held at the Department of Antiquities in Amman, Jordan on October 27-30, 2008. A PEF monograph will be published, as well as a summary article, in the "Palestine Exploration Quarterly" about a field research in the Ghor es-Safi in Jordan. Particular focus is given to the highlights of a PEF-funded trip to Jordan to explore sites associated with two archaeologists who worked in Transjordan and Palestine during the British Mandate.

Three previously unpublished Nabataean inscriptions from Umm al-Jimāl (Jordan), as well as one published by Enno Littmann, are presented here. Emphasis is placed on the personal names attested in the inscriptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional surveys in the Levant have led to the formulation of settlement models intended to represent how Palaeolithic foragers adapted to their local landscapes. A common critique of these models is their lack of fit with data from other regions. This is particularly the case for the inland regions of the Levant where lacustrine environments dotted the landscape during the Upper Pleistocene. The Tafila-Busayra Archaeological Survey investigated such a setting in west-central Jordan. This survey report characterizes local Palaeolithic settlement patterns and compares them with a settlement model derived from the nearby Wadi al-Hasa, another area with extensive lacustrine deposits. Despite the similar environmental settings, the results indicate that patterns of settlement vary considerably over short distances within the Levant, and future modeling should attempt to integrate information from neighboring regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our knowledge of the archaeological landscape from the Late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (LPPNB) of the southern Levant has expanded considerably as a result of survey and excavation projects carried out over the last two decades. As a result, cultural reconstructions of these early agricultural societies have become more complex and multifaceted. The social and economic solutions forged by farmers within the Levantine Corridor included some widely shared practices while, at the same time, reflected considerable regional variation. Here the results from the first excavations at Khirbet Hammam in the Wadi el-Hasa, dating to at least 8,300 radiocarbon years b.p., are reported. The site contains impressive standing architecture, well-preserved faunal remains, and diverse lithic assemblages. These materials are helping to paint an accurate picture of life in the upland agricultural villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the Bedouin Ethnoarchaeological Survey Project in southern Jordan conducted between April 12 and May 10, 1998. Position and microenvironment of each site encountered; structure in the disposition of activity areas and the deposition of artifacts at encampments; Plans of selected sites.