Petra - The Great Temple

The Great Temple of Petra The Great Temple of Petra

Wikipedia - CC BY-SA 3.0 - Bernard Gagnon


Introduction
Introduction

The Great Temple is one of the largest surviving structures of Petra.

Petra - Introduction Webpage

Maps, Plans, Photos, Drawings, and 3D Imagery
Maps, Plans, Photos, Drawings, and 3D Imagery

Maps, Plans, Photos, and Drawings

  • The Great Temple in Google Earth
  • Fig. 1 - Aerial View of the Great Temple at Petra from Joukowsky (2015)
  • Fig. 2 - Site Plan of the Great Temple at Petra from Joukowsky (2009)
  • Site Plan of the Great Temple at Petra from Wikipedia
  • Fig. 2 - Phase II plan from Joukowsky (2015)
  • Fig. 4 - Phase IV plan from Joukowsky (2015)
  • Fig. 12 - Phase V plan from Joukowsky (2015)
  • Fig. 10 - Phase VI plan from Joukowsky (2015)
  • Fig. 5.17b - Photo of inner wall of the west corridor showing two phases of construction from Rababeh (2005)
  • Fig. 5.17c - Drawing of inner wall of the west corridor showing two phases of construction from Rababeh (2005)

Chronology
Phasing

The Great Temple of Petra Phasing Figure 3

Petra Great Temple Chronological Chart of Site Phases.

Joukowsky (2009)

Phase IV Earthquake - 1st half of the 2nd century CE

Joukowsky and Basile (2001:50) discussed archeoseismic evidence from the early 2nd century CE at the Great Temple.

Dated to the mid-second century, Nabataean-Roman Phase IV follows a minor collapse when the uppermost course of the propylaea stairs was built to provide access to the Lower Temenos, and when the Lower Temenos east cryptoportico, which may have seen collapse, was filled in.

Phase IX Earthquake - 4th century CE

Joukowsky (2009) attributed the Phase IX earthquake to the southern Cyril Quake of 363 CE.

Phase XI Earthquake - 6th century CE

Although Joukowsky (2009) attributed seismic destruction to the 551 CE Beirut Quake, the epicenter of this earthquake was too far from Petra (almost 400 km.) to have caused such damage. The Inscription at Areopolis Quake is a more likely candidate.

Phase XIII Collapses - Later Earthquakes ?

Joukowsky (2009) listed a series of major collapses in the Islamic Period.

Seismic Effects
Phase IV Earthquake - 1st half of the 2nd century CE

Phase IX Earthquake - 4th century CE

Phase XI Earthquake - 6th century CE

Phase XIII Collapses - Later Earthquakes ?

Archaeoseismic Observations
Archaeoseismic Observations

Korzhenkov et al (2016)

Effect Location Image Description
Through-going fracture Through-going fractures require a large amount of energy to overcome the stress shadows between blocks - paraphrased from a translation of Korzhenkov et al (2016)
Column Damage Columns damaged in an earthquake and reinforced with an intervening wall - paraphrased from a translation of Korzhenkov et al (2016)
Re-used building elements Column drum in the wall was damaged in an earthquake and then re-used as a building element during reconstruction - paraphrased from a translation of Korzhenkov et al (2016)
Fallen Column Because the column was not dismantled and re-used as a building element, it's collapse is thought to be due to one of the later earthquakes when Petra was largely abandoned (JW:Korzhenkov's date for this collapse is pure speculation) - paraphrased from a translation of Korzhenkov et al (2016)

Deformation Maps
Phase IV Earthquake - 1st half of the 2nd century CE

Deformation Map

modified by JW from Fig. 2 of Joukowsky (2009)

Phase IX Earthquake - 4th century CE

Deformation Map

modified by JW from Fig. 2 of Joukowsky (2009)

Phase XI Earthquake - 6th century CE

Deformation Map

modified by JW from Fig. 2 of Joukowsky (2009)

Intensity Estimates
Phase IV Earthquake - 1st half of the 2nd century CE

Effect Description Intensity
Displaced Walls minor collapse when the uppermost course of the propylaea stairs was built (Joukowsky and Basile, 2001). VII+
Displaced Walls Damage to Propylaeum West (Joukowsky, 2009) VII+
Displaced Walls ? Repairs to Lower Temenos (Joukowsky, 2009) VII+
Collapsed Walls Baroque Room Collapse (Joukowsky, 2009) VIII+
The archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013:221-224).

Phase IX Earthquake - 4th century CE

Effect Description Intensity
Displaced Walls Collapse of the Propylaeum (Joukowsky, 2009) VII+
Fallen Columns Collapse of the Lower Temenos West Triple Collonade (Joukowsky, 2009) V+
Collapsed Vaults West Cryptoporticus Collapse (Joukowsky, 2009) VIII+
The archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224).

Phase XI Earthquake - 6th century CE

Effect Description Intensity
Fallen Columns East Triple Collonade Collapse (Joukowsky, 2009) V+
Folded Step and kerbs West Entry Stairs Collapse (Joukowsky, 2009) VI+
Fallen Columns Temple East Porch Column Collapse (Joukowsky, 2009) V+
The archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VI (6) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224) and is likely an underestimate.

Notes and Further Reading
References
Archaeoseismic Observations

Figure Image Description Source
5a support wall Korzhenkov et al (2016)
5b re-used building elements Korzhenkov et al (2016)
7 Collapsed Column Korzhenkov et al (2016)

Wikipedia page for Great Temple (Petra)