30 October 2024
We are pleased to announce the publication of another legacy project, Petra’s Temple of the Winged Lions. Supported by a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities, the nearly 800 pages of these two heavily illustrated volumes bring to light details from excavations undertaken in 1974 to 2005 by the American Expedition to Petra, directed by Philip C. Hammond, and work from 2009 to 2021 by the American Center of Research to excavate, document, conserve, and present this important Nabataean temple.
Named for the distinctive capitals that once topped some of its columns and likely dedicated to the Nabataean goddess al-‘Uzza, this freestanding temple was built in the 1st century CE and fell out of use after the earthquake that devastated Petra in 363 CE. The six chapters in volume 1 discuss the history of the projects, the geological aspects of the site, the architecture and architectural decoration, analysis of the marble, and a catalog of plaster and similar material. The sixteen chapters in volume 2 address sculpture, ceramics, an incense burner, lamps, coins, glass, ground stone tools, worked bone, metalwork, personal ornaments and cosmetic implements, inscriptions, faunal remains, invertebrates, and human remains, as well as visitor surveys and an on-site educational program for children.
The books may be downloaded from our website or purchased from Amazon.
Click here to learn more about the Temple of the Winged Lions site and excavations.
