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Exploring the Great Temple at Petra: the Brown University Excavations, 1993-1996 Martha Sharp Joukowsky

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Exploring the Great Temple at Petra: the Brown University Excavations, 1993-1996 Martha Sharp Joukowsky Exploring the Great Temple at Petra: The Brown University Excavations, 1993-1996 Martha Sharp Joukowsky In the mountainous hinterland of southern routes of Edom and Moab. While Petra's early Jordan, high above the site of Petra, stands an history is obscure, beginning with Aretas I in ca. imposing edifice, known since the days of W. 168 BCE the Nabateans emerged as a force to Bachmann as the "Great Temple" of Petra (fig. be reckoned with. The Nabatean king Obodas 1). For some two millennia, one of the most I (96/92-86/85 BCE) defeated Alexander Jan­ important religious monuments in the Near East neus in ca. 93 BCE, and by the time of Obodas's has lain in ruins, but its partially excavated pre­ successor, Aretas III (Philhellenos, 85-62 BCE), cinct is now beginning to dominate the urban Coele-Syria had been brought under Nabatean landscape of the Nabatean metropolis. This control, and Aretas thereafter became king of essay provides an interim report of these excava­ Damascus until ca. 72-71 BCE when the Arme­ tions.1 nian monarch Tigranes invaded Syria. Aretas III Originally a nomadic people, the Nabateans and his successors Malichus I (59/58-30 BCE), first appear in ca. 312 BCE when the Mace­ Obodas III (30-9/8 BCE), and the "Lover of his donian general Antigonus, interested in con­ People" Aretas IV (9/8 BCE-40 CE) are credited trolling Egypt, instigated an unsuccessful war with Petra's major building activities. Several against them. Diodorus of Sicily comments that scholars suggest that the reign of Aretas IV in the although they numbered only about ten thou­ first half of the first century CE marked Petra's sand, the Nabateans maintained their indepen­ golden age. His successor Malichus II ruled from dence and surpassed other Arabs in wealth. The 40/ 44 to 70 CE. The city's independence ended prosperity of Nabatea and its principal city is with Rabbel II, who reigned from 70 until his attributed to vigorous commerce, through its death in 106, when Trajan annexed Nabatea control of long-distance trade along the desert into the Roman province of Arabia. During this period Petra had come under Greek and Roman 1 This submission is the product of efforts made by many sets of hands: my energetic, enthusiastic staff who have been my influence. In 131, the emperor Hadrian visited faithful collaborators and extended family over the years. Spe­ the site and named it after himself, Haop1avf1 cial recognition is due to our sponsors: Brown University, many TTETpa. During the remainder of the second private donors, and the World Monuments Fund, all of whom deserve our deepest gratitude. century either Hadrian or his Antonine succes­ I am privileged to contribute to this Festschrift in honor of sors refurbished and rebuilt Petra, and classical James A. Sauer, friend, colleague, and scholar. He has made an unparalleled contribution to the development of Near Eastern monuments abound, many with Nabatean over­ archaeology, particularly in the Hashemite Kingdom ofJordan. tones. He will be remembered as well for his very personal involve­ By 313, Christianity was a state-recognized ment in the establishment of the American Center of Oriental Research in Amman and for his field research. religion. In 330 the Emperor Constantine estab­ This essay was completed in November 1996. lished the eastern Roman Empire with its capital 221 The Archaeology ofJordan and Beyond Fig. 1. Aerial photograph of the Great Temple, 1996 (A. A. W. Jou­ kowsky). Petra 1s a contextually complex site. Its physical layout follows the east-west flow of the Wadi Musa, which often floods with winter rains. The Nabateans laid out their city with its geography in mind. In projects as diverse as houses, rock-cut tombs, and temples, they constructed buildings in an idiosyncratic style that suited the local scale and employed the material of their red sandstone-colored environment, in the process , .. bold architectural • creating ... • l forms which expressed their wealth and power. The city is built on both banks of the Wadi Musa, whose steep slopes neces­ sitated the construction of terraces. These hilly banks served as the city's double acropoli in the Nabatean period well before the Romans colonized the area. Although little of it has been excavated, central Petra is carefully organized. Laid par­ allel to the wadi, the Colon­ naded Street is the central at Constantinople. Although the earthquake of artery of the city, its east-west cardo. Both sides 363 is reported to have destroyed half of Petra, of the central city are perpendicular to the the city appears to have retained its urban vital­ Street, and are linked by several bridges, now ity into late antiquity, when it became the seat of in ruins, spanning the wadi; these served north­ a Byzantine bishopric. The site was again devas­ south cross-traffic and are the linking compo­ tated by earthquake in 551, but we know from nents between the two acropoli. The Street ends the recently deciphered Petra Scrolls that at least at the ornate and monumental Temenos Gate, part of the city continued to prosper probably which marks the entrance to the temenos of well into the Islamic period. the Qa~r al-Bint. The terminus post quern of 222 .
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