The Petra Church

Book excerpt: Excavation of the Petra Church site was more than just an excavation, it was a complete project that included the excavation, publication, conservation, and presentation of the site. This beautiful book, published in 2001, was a milestone of the work of ACOR in the Petra Park that continues until today. This hardcover volume offers a wealth of detail and scholarship about not only the excavations but also the historical environment of the communities living in the Petra area. The contents of the book touch on the ecclesiastical history of Petra and of this specific church, the architecture, marble furnishings and mosaics of the church, and great details concerning the myriad of finds unearthed in the excavations, such as storage jars, lamps, coins and figurines. Excavations began in 1991, soon revealing important mosaics in the two aisles of the Petra Church. In order to preserve the mosaics after excavation, a competition was held to solicit architectural designs for a permanent shelter over the archaeological site. After much discussion and debate, a shelter designed by American architect Rob Shutler was chosen and funding for its construction was secured from USAID. The shelter was completed in 1997.