Site Development

Although Jordan is home to over 20,000 documented archaeological sites, most people can only name a few, have visited fewer, and know the history of an even smaller number. SCHEP sought to change that, selecting nine cultural heritage sites across the country to develop, ranging from well-known locations such as Petra to those that rarely, if ever, received visitors before. Given the diversity of the areas the project was involved with, there was no standard model that could be followed to preserve, protect, develop and promote the sites with the direct involvement of the surrounding Communities. 

Ethical and effective site development is at the heart of SCHEP’s mission, and the project team has worked to clear and clean each of its related sites, developing paths for visitors to experience the site and interpretive panels to help people understand what they see before them. These objectives were only carried out after SCHEP conducted surveys and otherwise engaged with local communities to mitigate any negative effects from such interventions. Although specific forms of intervention necessarily varied from site to site, the ultimate goal was to ensure that each site was able to reach its potential as a destination for education, exploration, and community-building.

  • Bir Madhkur, local workers walking to Petra to work on the ad-Dlayi path (ancient incense route)

  • Bir Madhkur, local workers doing restoration work at Khirbit Bir Madhkur
  • Archaeological site of Busayra, surveyor Ahmed Al Marafi discussing a map of the site
  • Busayra, remains of postern gate providing access from the walled city to the canyon below
  • Ghawr as Safi, sugar factory archaeological site, water conduits in background
  • Ghawr as Safi, local worker at sugar factory archaeological site  
  • Ghawr as Safi, local workers at the sugar factory archaeological site
  • Ghawr as Safi, walkway at Medieval sugar factory

  • Madaba Archaeological Park West, building 1 after MRAMP clearing and conservation
  • Madaba Archaeological Park West, consolidation work on the walls of Courtyard 3 of the late 19th-century settlement

  • Petra, Temple of the Winged Lions, northern complex, rooms adjacent to main temple
  • Petra, Temple of the Winged Lions, Hamza Wakyan applies final layer of mortar over cella podium
  • Petra, Temple of the Winged Lions, path completed, sand added to bank in front of cella

  • Petra, Temple of the Winged Lions, Ageleh Jmeidi and Khitmeh Aljdelat filling sandbags

  • Umm al Jimal, local workers working on the restoration of Commodus Gate
  • Umm al Jimal, local workers clearing interpretive trail

  • Umm al Jimal, aerial view, northwest quadrant of Byzantine site, Cathedral on right

  • Umm al Jimal, view of the southeast quadrant of site from House XVI, interpretive trail

  • Wadi Rum, path to Ain Shallaleh, rock art on flat surface of central rock
  • Wadi Rum, Khazali canyon, rock art, Thamudic and Arabic inscriptions

  • Wadi Rum, Khazali canyon, rock art, Thamudic inscriptions, Salem Al Zalabieh

Images by: Abdallah Saedeen, Sofia Smith, Yusuf Ahmed, AbedalFatah Ghareeb, Barbara A. Porter, Nizar Al Adarbeh, Zaid Kashour, Eman Abdessalam, TWL Team, MARS Robotics, DOA photographer, Matthew O’Brien