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Conservation of the Stone Monuments of Petra: An Ongoing Research Project of the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University
Dr. Ziad Al-Saad
Professor of cultural heritage conservation and management at the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology Yarmouk University
October 30, 2020


Petra has been classified as being of World Heritage standards and is included on the world heritage list. The entire site of Petra, with its 2000 listed rock-carved monuments of outstanding cultural and historical importance, is in real danger. Over the last decade the process of deterioration of the Petra monuments has dramatically increased. The destruction of the monuments is induced by a combination of natural and human factors. Weathering and erosion caused by environmental agents have caused a lot of severe damage to the monuments. The impact of weathering and eroding factors on the monuments have been exacerbated by natural faults in the rock; infiltration of water and growth of plants in rock fissures. In addition to natural damage, cultural and socio-economic factors represent a principle threat to the integrity of the site. It is quite obvious that the monuments of Petra need an urgent care. If the deterioration processes are allowed to continue, this irreplaceable heritage will disappear and tourism, which centers on these monuments, will diminish. It is of no doubt that the conservation and preservation of Petra monuments is a very challenging and difficult task. The complexity of the situation is apparent and the efforts needed are tremendous. Different types of preventive and remedial measures are needed to be adopted and executed in order to control the fast growing threats faced by the monuments. Although preventive measures to arrest the principal causes of weathering by adopting certain actions such as repairing the ancient Nabateans hydrological system, certain remedial steps seem to be inevitable. The fragile monuments are in bad need for consolidation to be able to resist the threat of the natural weathering. This task is the main aim of a research project that has been conducted by the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University in cooperation with the Bavarian State Conservation Laboratories.