Doctoral Dissertation Research: Chronology and Technological Styles of Nabataean and Roman Plasters and Mortars at Petra (Jordan)

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Under the direction of Dr. David killick, Mr. Khaled Al-Bashaireh will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. He has collected a series of plasters, mortar and cement from the site of Petra, Jordan. These were used to cover the facades of its monuments and tombs, to bind sandstone bricks and to construct dams, water canals and cisterns. These materials will be analyzed at Yarmouk University and the University of Arizona to yield information on both their age and the materials and methods by which they were fabricated.The ancient city of Petra (Jordan) has long attracted travelers, explorers, archaeologists and movie makers. The city itself has a long and complex history and served for centuries as a center for trade. The Nabataean Arabs (a nomadic tribe from the Arabian peninsula who settled in the area and laid the foundations of a commercial empire that extended into Syria) established Petra around the 6th century BC. They dominated the lands of southern Jordan and carved temples, tombs and elaborated buildings out of solid rose-colored sandstone cliffs along the canyon walls. Petra was captured by the Romans in the first century AD and then by the Muslims in the seventh century. While the outlines of this history are well known, the detailed knowledge of the construction sequence are lacking because buildings and architectural features can be difficult to date. Radiocarbon analysis of plasters themselves and the organic materials contained within them provide one means to refine this sequence. Archaeologists also focus on the process of cultural change and interaction. They wish to understand how different cultures both maintain and develop their own traditions and how they borrow from and exchange information with others. One insight into this process can be obtained through the examination of technical knowledge. As Mr. Al-Bashaireh notes, Nabataeans, Romans and Muslims had distinct ways to make a series of mortars, plasters and cements and through analysis of materials collected from Petra it will be possible to trace changes in these products over time. Twenty nine samples of mortar, 46 plasters and relevant geological materials have been collected and will be studied. Composition, structure, porosity and combustion temperatures will be determined. A wide variety of analytic techniques will be employed.The research will both assist in training a promising scientist and also strengthening archaeological ties between US and Jordanian researchers.