Petra Exploration Project
Petra has captured the imagination of millions of people over the centuries, singled out as one of the most important and precious sites by UNESCO. Prior to Covid-19 the site’s popularity was growing rapidly, with numbers of visitors swelling annually (a record number of one million visited in 2019), and numbers surpassing 2022-23.
Its popularity is reflected in pop culture as well, from blockbuster movies, to popular television shows. Petra’s rock cut treasury is almost instantly recognisable.
Despite all this popularity, there is a lack of knowledge of the true size and scope of the site. People often flock to the see the treasury and are surprised to learn about how extra-ordinarily large the rest of the site is, the reality is that the ancient city covers some 60 square Kilometres, with thousands of structures, representing human settlements from Neolithic villages to the Crusader castles.
Living Jordan I have built up an extensive archive of images and data on Petra, with unrestricted access to the site for over a decade (including extensive studies carried out during the covid pandemic) I have captured an incomparable archive of images -from unique night shots and aerial photographs to corners that are very rarely visited-.
Initially the archive formed out of my own personal interest and education but as it grew over the years, the thought of creating something physical out of the images have often crossed my mind, the project has potential to either become an art piece, a guide book or an art/documentary book.
Petra from the Air: Exploration of the site in collaboration with Oxford University
Petra under the stars: Images taken in 2018 as part of the stars and stone exhibition
Petra Explored:Assorted images of the site from visits between 2013-2018
Covid pandemic exploration, eight visits to the sites during covid lockdown between december 2020 and july 2021
