• Map showing location of Petra Pool Complex from Jones (2021)
  Figure 2
  
  Map of Petra with the locations of major excavations marked
  
  Jones (2021)
  
  Basemap: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics, USDA FSA, USGS, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, and the GIS User Community
• Site Plan of Petra Pool Complex
  Figure 5
  
  Site plan
  
  Bedal et al (2007)
  from Bedal et al (2007)

• from Bedal et al (2007)

Phase	Date	Comments
I	Nabataean, 1st century BCE	Pre-garden occupation
II	Nabataean, end of the 1st century BCE - early 1st century CE	Monumental garden and pool complex
III	Roman, early 2nd century CE	Renovations
IV	Roman, late 2nd?-3rd century CE	Abandonment
V	Late Roman, 363 CE	Destruction
VI	Late Roman-Byzantine, 4th-5th century CE	Squatter Farmers
VII	Byzantine, 6th century CE?	Destruction
VIII	Post Classical/Medieval	Agricultural activity
IX	Bedouin, >20th century	Modern occupation

Maps and Plans

Renovations during Phase III dated to the early 2nd century CE may have been a response to seismic damage most of which may have been cleared by renovations. The re-use of building elements may be reflective of this response. It should be noted that these building elements could have come from another structure - for example the nearby Great Temple where Joukowsky and Basile (2001:50) report an early 2nd century CE earthquake in Phase VI.

Bedal (2003:74) estimated an early 2nd century CE terminus post quem for the start of Phase III based on pottery found associated with various structures that were part of the renovations.

According to the refined pottery sequence from ez-Zantur, the type 3c Nabataean painted ware was produced in a brief span of time, between ca.100 and 106/114 CE. Based on this pottery evidence, it is possible to assign the floor bedding and by direct association the bridge with a terminus post quem of the early 2nd century CE.
...
However, a single rim sherd also found embedded in the floor mortar (Fig. 18) may be more closely identified with a type 4 painted bowl from ez-Zantur, dated post-106/114 CE (Schmid 1996:166, 208, abb. 704), in which case the Phase II renovations in the Pool-Complex must be dated to a period following the annexation of Petra into the Roman Empire.

Maps and Plans

Bedal et al (2007) report seismic destruction in Phase V as follows:

The architectural elements of the pool complex suffered serious damage in the mid-4th century AD, most likely a result of the well-documented earthquake of 363 AD. The upper courses of the pavilion walls collapsed into the pool, forming a dense layer of large stone rubble in a reddish-brown sandy matrix overlying the Phase IV fill (trench 1) (Fig. 24

Figure 24

Trench 1, deep sounding in pool, west baulk. Two destruction layers are clearly visible in the pool fill.

Bedal et al (2007)

). In the south-west corner, stones falling from the South Wall and the Great Temple's East Perimeter Wall formed a similar destruction layer (Fig. 23

Figure 23

Trench 12, from the south. Stones of the Phase V destruction, are clearly visible in the north baulk sandwiched between the Phase IV and Phase VI fills. The Phase VII destruction level is already excavated away at the time of this photo.

Bedal et al (2007)

).

Bedal (2003:79) entertained the less likely possibility that the observed destruction was due to decay rather than seismic forces.

While it is possible that this destruction resulted from neglect and structural decay over a long period of time, it more likely that the island-pavilion fell victim to the major earthquake of 363 CE that caused irreparable damage to many of the major monuments at Petra and destruction throughout the region (Russell 1980; 1985:42; Amiran et al. 1994:265). ⁷⁴

Bedal (2003:79) dated Phase V seismic destruction to the 4th century CE unlike Bedal et al (2007) who dated it to the mid 4th century CE.

Maps and Plans

Bedal et al (2007) report seismic destruction in Phase VII as follows:

A stratum of large stone debris in a reddish-brown sandy matrix overlying the Phase VI fill in the southern half of the site (trench 1, 3, 4 5, 9, 11, 12, and 14) marks a second major destruction episode causing the further collapse of the walls surrounding the pool complex and the island-pavilion (Fig. 24

Figure 24

Trench 1, deep sounding in pool, west baulk. Two destruction layers are clearly visible in the pool fill.

Bedal et al (2007)

). Elements of the pavilion's architectural decor (marble flower, volutes, capital fragments and painted stucco) and its construction (iron nails, a plaster nail anchor, and charred wood) mark further disintegration of this structure.

Bedal (2003:83) discussed this potential seismic destruction in a similar manner in a passage which is less certain that the debris from this phase was a result of seismic destruction.

It is clear from the presence of architectural debris in this stratum - large architectural elements (ashlars, doorjambs, etc.), small capital fragments, volutes (Pl. XVIIIa), and a unique flower (carved from limestone or a low-grade marble) (Fig. 12 and Pl. XVIIIb), iron nails, a plaster nail anchor, and some charred wood - that the structure continued to disintegrate following its major destruction as a result of the 363 earthquake. At this time, there is no evidence to specifically link this secondary collapse with the 551 earthquake, although that cannot be ruled out.

Maps and Plans

• re-use of building elements¹
  Figure 9
  
  Elements of a column and capital used as fill in the Phase III renovations to the southern platform, trench 5 (drawn by C. Kanellopolous).
  
  Bedal et al (2007)

Maps and Plans

• The upper courses of the pavilion walls collapsed into the pool, forming a dense layer of large stone rubble in a reddish-brown sandy matrix overlying the Phase IV fill (trench 1) (Fig. 24
  Figure 24
  
  Trench 1, deep sounding in pool, west baulk. Two destruction layers are clearly visible in the pool fill.
  
  Bedal et al (2007)
  ). (Bedal et al, 2007)
• In the south-west corner, stones falling from the South Wall and the Great Temple's East Perimeter Wall formed
  a similar destruction layer (Fig. 23
  Figure 23
  
  Trench 12, from the south. Stones of the Phase V destruction, are clearly visible in the north baulk sandwiched between the Phase IV and Phase VI fills. The Phase VII destruction level is already excavated away at the time of this photo.
  
  Bedal et al (2007)
  ). (Bedal et al, 2007)

Maps and Plans

• further collapse of the walls surrounding the pool complex and the island-pavilion (Fig. 24
  Figure 24
  
  Trench 1, deep sounding in pool, west baulk. Two destruction layers are clearly visible in the pool fill.
  
  Bedal et al (2007)
  ). (Bedal et al, 2007)
• Elements of the pavilion's architectural decor (marble flower, volutes, capital fragments and painted stucco) and its construction (iron nails, a plaster nail anchor, and charred wood) mark further disintegration of this structure. (Bedal et al, 2007)

• Earthquake Archeological Effects chart
  Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)
  
  Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
  of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Description	Intensity
Displaced masonry blocks in drums in columns1 Footnotes 1 It should be noted that these building elements could have come from another structure - for example the nearby Great Temple where Joukowsky and Basile (2001:50) report an early 2nd century CE earthquake in Phase VI.	Figure 9 Elements of a column and capital used as fill in the Phase III renovations to the southern platform, trench 5 (drawn by C. Kanellopolous). Bedal et al (2007)	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).

• Earthquake Archeological Effects chart
  Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)
  
  Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
  of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Description	Intensity
Collapsed Walls	The upper courses of the pavilion walls collapsed into the pool, forming a dense layer of large stone rubble in a reddish-brown sandy matrix overlying the Phase IV fill (trench 1) (Fig. 24 Figure 24 Trench 1, deep sounding in pool, west baulk. Two destruction layers are clearly visible in the pool fill. Bedal et al (2007) ). (Bedal et al, 2007)	VIII+
Collapsed Walls	In the south-west corner, stones falling from the South Wall and the Great Temple's East Perimeter Wall formed a similar destruction layer (Fig. 23 Figure 23 Trench 12, from the south. Stones of the Phase V destruction, are clearly visible in the north baulk sandwiched between the Phase IV and Phase VI fills. The Phase VII destruction level is already excavated away at the time of this photo. Bedal et al (2007) ). (Bedal et al, 2007)	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).

• Earthquake Archeological Effects chart
  Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)
  
  Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
  of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Description	Intensity
Collapsed Walls	further collapse of the walls surrounding the pool complex and the island-pavilion (Fig. 24 Figure 24 Trench 1, deep sounding in pool, west baulk. Two destruction layers are clearly visible in the pool fill. Bedal et al (2007) ). (Bedal et al, 2007)	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).

Bedal, L.-A. 2003. The Petra Pool-Complex: A Hellenistic Paradeisos in the Nabataean Capital (Results from the Petra `Lower Market' Survey and Excavations, 1998). Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.

Bedal, L.-A., et al. (2007). "The Petra garden and pool complex, 2003–2005." ADAJ 51, pp 151-176