Wadi Sabra Theater in Petra Figure 49

View of the theater from the north:
  • below, the orchestra overgrown with vegetation
  • on the right, the stone bleachers preserved in situ
  • on the left, the wall of the large cistern behind the theatre
  • up, the cliff of the massif that borders Wadi Sabra and the natural fault from which the water comes in case of rain


(photo N. Paridaens, 2018)

Tholbecq et al (2019)


Names

Transliterated Name Source Name
Wadi Sabra Arabic وادي سابرا
Introduction

The Wadi Sabra Theater is located ~6.5 km. south of Petra ( Tholbecq et al, 2019).

Maps and Plans
Maps and Plans

  • Location of Wadi Sabra from Tholbecq et al (2018)
  • General Plan of the Wadi Sabra Theater from Tholbecq et al (2019)

Chronology
Phasing

Tholbecq et al (2019) summarized general phasing of the Wadi Sabra Theater. There appears to be evidence for two earthquake destructions.

Phase Phase Label Date Comments
1 Digging and development of the cavea no later than the 2nd century CE
  • This phase corresponds to the rock development of the Sabra theater; no structure or occupation prior to the building has been observed, neither under the built parts of the monument nor in its immediate surroundings. The first available surveys made it possible to restore a Greek-type horseshoe theater
  • This phase must take place no later than the 2nd century CE, without further details for the moment.
2 Closure of the theatrical space and monumentalization of the facade 2nd century CE
  • This phase is better documented and corresponds to the monumentalization of the theater.
  • an elaborate and manicured building that was built during the 2nd century CE. This dating is relatively reliable on the basis of various surveys
3 Partial destruction and reassignment 2nd-3rd century CE
  • During this phase, the monument was transformed without knowing whether it completely lost its functionality as a spectacle building. Various clues suggest that the theater underwent violent destruction, at least on the north side: the upper parts of the walls seem to have been destroyed, then rebuilt by recycling collapsed bleacher seats. Another hypothesis would be to see it as an intermediate phase of abandonment of the theater, with a voluntary dismantling.
  • the chronology of this transformation [] happened no later than the 3rd century CE since the landfills were used in the 3rd and 4th centuries CE
4 Construction of a barrier wall to the south of the theater and new secondary facilities. Late Roman or Byzantine
  • This phase occurs at a date still undetermined (Late Roman period or Byzantine but not later)
  • We do not know when the destruction of the northern masonry of the orchestra occurred, at the level of the old corridor, rebuilt using the stone seats during the previous phase. However, this destruction is directly posed, both in hole 2 and in hole 7, on the embankments of the 3rd-4th centuries CE; we can therefore deduce that this event (earthquake?) occurs shortly after the late Roman period, or even during this period. The monument will no longer be occupied after this phase, being marked only by natural horizons of aeolian and alluvial sediments.

Phase 3 earthquake - 2nd - 3rd century CE

Tholbecq et al (2019) report that various clues suggest that the theater underwent violent destruction during this phase. This happened no later than the 3rd century CE.

Phase 4 earthquake - Late Roman/Early Byzantine

Tholbecq et al (2019) reports destruction of the northern masonry of the orchestra during this phase. They deduce that this event (earthquake?) occurs shortly after the late Roman period, or even during this period.

Seismic Effects
Phase 3 earthquake - 2nd - 3rd century CE

  • the upper parts of the walls seem to have been destroyed, then rebuilt by recycling collapsed bleacher seats

Phase 4 earthquake - Late Roman/Early Byzantine

  • destruction of the northern masonry of the orchestra

Intensity Estimates
Phase 3 earthquake - 2nd - 3rd century CE

Effect Description Intensity
Collapsed Walls the upper parts of the walls seem to have been destroyed 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 4 earthquake - Late Roman/Early Byzantine

Effect Description Intensity
Collapsed Walls ? destruction of the northern masonry of the orchestra 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).

Notes and Further Reading
References

Articles and Books

LINDNER 1982 M. Lindner, “An Archaeological Survey of the Theater Mount and Catchwater Regulation System at Sabra, South of Petra, 1980 ”, ADAJ 26, p. 231-242.

LINDNER 2005 M. Lindner, “Water Supply and Water Management at Ancient Sabra (Jordan)”, PEQ 137.1, p. 33-52.

LINDNER 2006A M. Lindner, "Theater, Theater, Theater ... Zu Forschungen der Naturhistorischen Gesellschaft in Sabra", Natur und Mensch. Jahresmitteilungen der Naturhistorischen Gesellschaft Nürnberg, 2006, p. 75-84.

THOLBECQ 2016 L. Tholbecq, “Petra. Wadi Sabra Archaeological Project ”, GJ Corbett et al. (Ed.), “Archeology in Jordan, 2014 - 2015 ”, AJA 120.4, p. 666-668.

THOLBECQ et al. 2015 L. Tholbecq, T. Fournet, N. Paridaens, S. Delcros, G. Dumont & C. Durand “The Nabateo-Roman site of Wadi Sabra: inventory, survey and working hypotheses”, L. Tholbecq (Ed. ), French archaeological mission of Pétra: Report of the archaeological campaigns 2014 - 2015, Brussels, p. 63-100.

THOLBECQ et al. 2016 L. Tholbecq, T. Fournet, N. Paridaens, S. Delcros, C. Durand, “Sabrah, a satellite hamlet of Petra, Jordan ”, Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 46, p. 277-297.



Excavation Reports

Tholbecq, L., et al. (2019). Mission archéologique française à Pétra. Rapport des campagnes archéologiques 2018-2019.