The Temple of the Winged Lions Publication Project

FAIN: RZ-279826-21

American Center of Research (Alexandria, VA 22314-2909)
John D. M. Green (Project Director: December 2020 to September 2021)
Pearce Paul Creasman (Project Director: September 2021 to present)

Preparation of a print manuscript and digital archive detailing the American excavations at Petra in Jordan (1973-present). (24 months)

The American Center of Research (ACOR) will bring together more than twenty-five contributors to complete a final report on the Temple of the Winged Lions (TWL), an important Nabataean ritual complex within Petra, Jordan, dated to the 1st to 4th century CE. This manuscript preparation project will present the findings of the American Expedition to Petra (1973-2005), and the work of ACOR through the Temple of the Winged Lions Cultural Resource Management Initiative (from 2009). An editorial and advisory team will support specialists in archaeology, geology, and cultural heritage to conduct research using archives, artifacts, and site visits within Jordan. Collaborative research conducted online and in person will relate to the archaeological themes of ritual, economy and society, empire, and local communities, opening up new comparative research directions. In addition to completion of a final manuscript, scholarly and public facing outputs will raise awareness of the final publication.

Associated Products

"The Temple of the Winged Lions, Petra: Reassessing a Nabataean Ritual Complex" (Article)
Title: "The Temple of the Winged Lions, Petra: Reassessing a Nabataean Ritual Complex"
Author: Pauline Piraud-Fournet
Author: John D. M. Green
Author: Noreen Doyle
Author: Pearce Paul Creasman
Abstract: The Temple of the Winged Lions (TWL) in Petra is a Nabataean- and Roman-era ritual complex thought to have been founded in the early first century CE. It fell out of use following a major earthquake in 363 CE. This is a contextually rich site for the study of ancient ritual, economy, and society in the Nabataean and Greco-Roman world and part of a larger complex including workshops and domestic spaces. The deity (or deities) once worshiped there remains unknown. The most common suggestion is that the temple was dedicated to Al-‘Uzza, the Arabian divinity whose Greek equivalent was Aphrodite. This paper presents an overview of excavations there, as well as past and current interpretations of the site. (PDF of the article is attached as supplementary material.)
Year: 2021
Primary URL: http://journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/716829
Primary URL Description: The URL leads to the University of Chicago webpage where the article is hosted.
Access Model: Subscription
Format: Journal
Periodical Title: Near Eastern Archaeology
Publisher: American Society of Overseas Research

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