Geological research in the ancient city Petra, Jordan

A group of geologists from the Faculty of Science UK (J. Bruthans with his students), Institute of Geology (M. Filippi) and from the AQH, s.r.o. company (J. Jäger) cooperated in the summer with a team of archaeologists led by Dr. Cynthia Finlayson from Brigham Young University in Utah (USA). The main task of the Czech group was to clean hardly accessible niches in the monumental Ad Deir temple in the ancient rock city of Petra in Jordan. Specifically, it was the excavation of about 8 cubic meters of sediment, deposited here over last 2000 years. Another task of the team was a detailed study of the weathering of sandstone monuments of Petra and also of nearby mountains. In addition, the desert area of Wadi Rum with extremely well-developed rock landforms (incredible stone towers, rock arches etc.) covered by numerous weathering forms like Tafoni, honeycombs and others, was visited and studied. Photographs from these exotic and beautiful regions are in the photo gallery.

Results of this research were presented in:
Rihosek J., Bruthans J, Masin D., Filippi M., Carling G.T., Schweigstillova J. (2016) Gravity-induced stress as a factor reducing decay of sandstone monuments in Petra, Jordan. Journal of Cultural Heritage 19: 415-425.