Thursday 6 October 2011

Monitoring the Past … and Present

Umm el-Jimal (APAAME_20111002_DLK-0523)

One of the key objectives of any aerial reconnaissance programme in archaeology is to monitor sites and landscapes in danger from development. As Jordan has one of the fastest growing populations and a very rapid development of its landscape, the task is especially important here.

One increasingly obvious sign at many sites in the last few years is the evidence for the discovery …. and looting of ancient cemeteries. We have observed it at several sites in every part of the country.

This photograph was taken three days ago (Sunday 2 October 2011) at the Nabataean-Roman-Umayyad town of Umm el-Jemal in northern Jordan. It is one of three cemeteries revealed by the open pits of excavated graves.

-DLK

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