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ARCH 1475 Petra: Ancient Wonder, Modern Challenge

The rose-red city of Petra in southern Jordan is a movie star (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). It is a tourist mega-hit (over half a million visitors annually). It was recently voted one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. This class will explore the history and archaeology of Petra and debate how best to present and preserve the site, as well as discussing Brown's recent fieldwork at this beautiful, but fragile, place. Enrollment limited to 15.

Th 4:00-6:30

Instructor: Susan E. Alcock

101 Rhode Island Hall; 863-3710; Susan_Alcock@brown.edu

Office Hours: Monday, 3-5 pm or by appointment

Syllabus: ARCH1475_Petra_Anc&Mod.pdf

It seems no work of Man's creative hand,
by labour wrought as wavering fancy planned;
But from the rock as if by magic grown,
eternal, silent, beautiful, alone!
… match me such marvel save in Eastern clime,
a rose-red city half as old as time (J. W. Burgon, ‘Petra’, 1845)

Ancient Wonder

Petra, in antiquity, had many claims to fame. It was the first capital of the Nabataean kingdom, a ‘middleman’ nation of traders who facilitated exchange between the Mediterranean world and peoples as far afield as China. Annexed by the Romans in 106 CE, the city was visited by emperors and became home to several early Christian bishoprics. Archaeological remains — of temples, theaters, churches and an astonishing series of rock cut tombs — are testimony to ancient activities and attention in the urban center of Petra; recent work by the Brown University Petra Archaeological Project has documented equally important investments in its countryside.

Modern Challenge

In 2007, Petra was voted one of the New7Wonders of the World. The site boasts an impressive global celebrity factor, owing chiefly to its cameo role in movies such as ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ and ‘Transformers II: Revenge of the Fallen’. Such fame, in addition to the site’s ‘rose red’ beauty (the produce of a very fragile sandstone environment) today attracts almost a million tourists a year. Such interest is wonderful. It is also destroying the site.

This class will explore the history and archaeology of Petra and debate how best to present and preserve the site and its hinterland. Emphasis will especially be laid on discussing, developing and disseminating Brown University fieldwork, past and present, at this beautiful, but fragile, place. Relevant comparisons — to other sites, problems or places — will periodically be drawn.

No prerequisites.