Flights 20141012-13 - Blink and you will miss it

One of the main aims of the Aerial Archaeology in Jordan Project is to photographically record archaeology in Jordan – a record through which it can be monitored.

This year has provided some highs and lows.

Reconstruction work has occurred at Qasr el-Mshatta near Queen Alia International Airport.

Qasr el-Mshatta in 1998. © APAAME_19980513_RHB-0054.

Qasr el-Mshatta in 2014. © APAAME_20141013_RHB-0012.

A possible Roman column quarry has somehow survived (so far) amongst a massive modern limestone quarry – and a ground visit found another quarry site on an adjacent hill. But how long will they survive the expanding modern quarry?

Quarry. © APAAME_20141013_RHB-0467.

Two of the original columns of Machaerus have been restored and inaccurate representations removed.

Machaerus in 2006. © APAAME_20060910_DLK-0005.

Machaerus in 2014. © APAAME_20141013_MND-0086.

The building of a pilgrim hotel has destroyed one of the Roman siege camps (Roman Camp P) surrounding the site of Machaerus. The location no doubt was chosen for its excellent view over the ancient site. It is likely that very reason had once made it the ideal location from which the commander of the Roman siege forces possibly directed his assault.

 Machaerus in 1998. The faint trace of Roman Camp P can be seen on the peak in middle ground right. © APAAME_19980517_RHB-0071.

Pilgrim Hotel in foreground of Machaerus in 2014. © APAAME_20141013_RHB-0032.

Necropoli have been the target of looters since Antiquity, but modern looting is also evident – individual shafts at Khirbet Ain, honeycombing of hillsides at Pella and the systematic looting of Dead Sea sites Fifi, Al-Nage’a and Bab edh-Dhra.

Looting shafts at Khirbet Ain. © APAAME_20141012_REB-0235.

Looting shafts in the hillsides around Pella. © APAAME_20141012_MND-0384.

Systematic looting of Fifi. © APAAME_20141013_REB-0277.