Opening Ceremony - Under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Noor al-Hussein, the Petra Church was officially opened to the public on July 8, 1998.

Discovery – ACOR archeologist Kenneth W. Russell first noticed the building in 1973 and in April of 1990 documented the surface remains.

Approach to the Excavation of the Petra Church – At the outset, archeologist Kenneth W. Russell recognized the importance of the church in increasing the understanding of the Byzantine period in Petra.  His observations set the tone for the project. At the time, he wrote:

"While the excavation of this structure is highly desirable, it is suggested that the simple clearance of the structure solely to uncover floor mosaics would not do justice to significant data relating to reconstructing Byzantine chronology and the history of Petra. Similarly, the potential for mosaics warrants extremely careful excavation techniques, with a conservation staff on hand during excavation to deal immediately with uncovered materials. Obviously, a long-term preservation plan must also be developed, with consideration made for possible public visitation of the site. The development of the site therefore involves
1) Archaeological excavation
2) Conservation
3) Stabilization of the ancient structure, and
4) Construction of a protective shelter."

Direction of the Project – From 1990 until his death in May of 1992, Kenneth W. Russell and ACOR began the work of realizing the project. After his death, the project continued under the general direction of ACOR Director Pierre M. Bikai, who appointed Zbigniew T. Fiema, Khairieh Amr, and Robert Schick as co-directors.

Excavation - There were four excavation phases. The first phase, in 1992-93, involved some 25 archaeologists and three conservators as well as artists, surveyors, and photographers. In that phase, the main church was uncovered with spectacular mosaics in the side aisles.

The church is a tripartite basilica, measuring ca. 26 m by 15 m, with three apses to the east and three entrances to the west. Much of the material used for the construction of the church, such as the capitals, door jambs, and reliefs, must have come from the already ruined monuments of the Nabataean and Roman periods. The church complex also included an atrium-a stone-paved courtyard to the west.

The preserved decoration of the church attests to its original magnificence.  Both of the aisles have mosaic floors of patterns stylistically dated to the early 6th century A.D. In the northern aisle, three parallel rows of roundels depict native and exotic animals and a variety of vessels and containers, the latter perhaps of symbolic meaning. The eastern part of the southern aisle is similar, while the remaining area of that aisle presents a variety of different motifs. The central panels contain personifications of the Seasons, Ocean, Earth and Wisdom. These are flanked by birds, animals and fish. The marble pavement of the nave was, unfortunately, poorly preserved.

Several marble screens were also found, including the screens for the chancel area and for enclosing both side apses. Thousands of glass tesserae were found scattered, some of them gilded, indicating that there were once mosaics on the walls. The excavation produced numerous small finds. Among them are coins, bronze and iron door fittings, glass, ostraca, fragments of Nabataean and Greek inscriptions on reused stones, and an engraved amethyst seal. A large marble vessel decorated with two panthers forming the handles was reconstructed from more than 100 pieces.

The collapse of church's walls and columns, well evidenced during the excavations, can be associated with earthquakes. Prior to that, the church suffered a fire which brought down the wooden roof, and it was abandoned. Squatter occupation, documented in the atrium and some parts of the abandoned church, could have continued into the 7th century A.D.  After the mosaics were found, it was clear that a shelter would have to be built and that, in order to build it, the whole northern side would have to be excavated for the foundations.

The second excavation phase, with Zbigniew Fiema as the chief field archaeologist, started in September 1993 and continued into April 1994. On Dec. 4, 1993, a cache of 152 papyrus scrolls were uncovered at the site. No one could have foreseen that event, but within a few months ACOR assembled the very best papyrologists to work on the materials. Right now, some twenty persons from the University of Michigan and the University of Helsinki are engaged in deciphering the scrolls.  Simultaneously, the search for a solution to the problem of sheltering the beautiful mosaics without doing damage to the site continued. With the help of a volunteer review committee, the present shelter was designed. It is a space frame and rides on only six columns. Therefore, it has only the most minimal impact on the Roman and Nabataean antiquities that we know are below the church.

The third phase of work was in mid-1996, and was devoted solely to conservation and preparing for the shelter which was installed in May of 1997. After that, the conservation of the mosaics continued and, in the final phase in 1998, attention was given to the configuration of the site so that it could be open to the public: the floor in the nave was restored, doors and barriers installed, and work began on the restoration of the baptistery, which is the largest and best preserved in the region.

Work at the site itself is nearly complete, but work on the materials uncovered will continue. In addition to those who are working on the scrolls, some 25 other persons have been engaged in research on the other materials found here, from the tiny engraved amethyst that can be seen in the Petra Museum to the coins, statuary, pottery, glass, mosaics, architecture, and so on. All of these reports are currently being prepared for a publication that will appear in the near future.

Long term value of the Petra Church Project
This was not just another archaeological project. ACOR deliberately set out to create project that included all of the components that were outlined at the beginning: not just excavation, but also conservation and publication.  The philosophy behind the project was that every archaeological site, including this one, has multiple values. The value of this excavation is abundantly clear.  The building itself and the scrolls are of significant historical value.  The mosaics and other finds have artistic value. It has an educational value to those who will visit and to the Jordanians who were trained in conservation and reconstruction.  The site is also a valuable addition to the development of Jordan's tourism industry.

Support for the Project
The project was funded in the main by grants totaling $1.05 million from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Other contributions were made by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the World Monuments Fund and US/ICOMOS.

The scroll project is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Academy of Finland, the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, and numerous private donors.

The American Center of Oriental Research also received invaluable assistance from the Department of Antiquities, the Petra Regional Council, the Ministry of Planning, the Embassy of the United States of America, the numerous researchers who participated and the Bidul, Liyatna, Sa'ydeen, and Amareen who worked at the site.
 
 
 

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