The Association for the Study of Travel in Egypt and the Near East (ASTENE) will be holding its 11th Biennial Conference this month.

David Kennedy will be presenting in the first session 'Archive Discoveries-journeys and records' on Friday 17th July on the topic of 'Travellers to Petra in 1857'.

The available catalogues of known visitors to Petra for 1857 list just one party – consisting of a single person – J. R. Roth. Murray’s Handbook, however – published for the first time in 1858, reports that many western travellers had gone there in 1857 but been faced with violence and robbery. The author of ‘Murray’ – J. L. Porter who was resident in Damascus for a decade (1849-59), provides no further detail. Research has revealed further published accounts of travellers, several major unpublished ones and references to yet more otherwise unknown travellers. It is clear several parties visited Petra in 1857 - including one of the largest ever; a total of at least 57 westerners including three women and several notable characters. We now have quite detailed evidence of their experiences: one was shot and his cook killed, one died at Aqaba en route and another died soon after leaving Petra. All complained of the violent reception they met at Petra, and almost all were effectively driven away after just a night or two. It had not always been like that and the apparent decline in visitors after 1857 would have been a serious loss of income for escorts and guides. Closer examination suggests possible explanations.

Don Boyer will also be presenting a paper, 'Guilty or innocent? The Buckingham v. Bankes libel trial of 1826' on Sunday July 19th in Session 8: Archive discoveries – personalities and experiences part 2.

For the full programme and more information on ASTENE, please see their website: http://www.astene.org.uk/2015-conference/

Sir Alexander Kennedy

Oblique view of Wadi Musa, Petra - Kennedy (1925) Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Not again! How many more times is that line going to be quoted by everyone who ever writes anything about Petra!

Many people do know the line and a good many could tell you it was from a poem written by John William Burgon (1813-1888) – ‘Dean Burgon’. Much less well-known is that Burgon had never visited Petra – or even the region. In 1845, a very mature student of 32, he entered a poem in the competition for Oxford’s Newdigate Prize. The theme that year was ‘Petra’, a place increasingly ‘in-the-news’ as a steady trickle of bolder western travellers undertook the immensely demanding journey, and wrote about it when they returned home. Burgon won on this – his third attempt, joining an illustrious list of winners over the two centuries including Oscar Wilde, Matthew Arnold and John Buchan.

Photograph of John William Burgon from: Goulburn 1892 John William Burgon late Dean of Chichester: A Biography with extracts from his letters and early journals, Vol. 1 (John Murray: London).

Even less well-known is that Burgon eventually did visit Petra - but not till 17 years later by which time he was almost 50. Two publications offer lengthy and – at the time published, fairly comprehensive lists of western travellers to Petra before 1914. Oddly, neither includes Burgon and a search through even other 19th century writers now easily found for free download, reveals no knowledge of Burgon’s visit …. while endlessly quoting his poem.

At the beginning of March this year you may remember that our Bob Bewley was about to hold an Aerial Archaeology Workshop with Dr Fawzi Abudanah at the Department of Archaeology, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Petra, Jordan. 

Initially it was intended the workshop would accommodate ten students drawn from the campus’ Archaeology and Tourism courses. Increased interest in the course saw numbers rise at times to twenty students, so the workshop adapted to be delivered in a lecture/seminar style over three days (March 2nd – March 4th).

Students experiencing aerial photography in 3D - thanks to some old-school glasses.

Talks and presentations gave way to seminar and group discussions on air photo interpretation. This included time devoted to ‘photo reading’ where students were given the opportunity to develop their practical skills in interpretation and observation and produce plans in a final mapping exercise. Due to variability in the understanding and speaking of English, Dr Abudanah translated to and from Arabic for the benefit of students and Dr Bewley. This had the added advantage that students had more time to consider what was being said and/or shown to them. The in-depth discussions that followed demonstrated the interest of the students and their developing understanding on the nature and use of aerial survey for archaeology.

Students work on a photo reading and mapping exercise.

It is hoped a small number from this course will now be able to join the Aerial Archaeology in Jordan Project for a day or so in the planned aerial reconnaissance season in October 2014 to continue their training.

Thanks must be given to Dr Fawzi Abudanah for facilitating and helping organise the Workshop, the Department of Archaeology at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University for hosting, the Palestine Exploration Fund’s grant for Dr Bob Bewley’s participation, and the support of the Packhard Humanitites Institute for the continuing Aerial Archaeology in Jordan project.

Workshop participants with Dr Bob Bewley, Dr. Saad Twaissi (Dean of the Petra College for Tourism and Archaeology) and Dr Fawzi Abudanah in the front row (from the right).

You can access the Museum website here: http://www.penn.museum/archives.html/film-archives.html

The Roman Archaeology Group has arranged for two illustrated lectures to be presented on Saturday, 8th February. All are welcome.

2 Free Illustrated Lectures on: The Emperor Justinian and Petra, Jordan.
Saturday, 8th February 2014.

1:30pm: "Justinian's Empire" presented by Dr. Michael Champion.

2:30pm: Afternoon Tea.

3:00pm: "Western Travellers to Petra in the 19th Century" presented by W/Prof. David Kennedy.

N.B. Lectures are FREE, however there is a small charge for the refreshments served at the mid-session break: $7pp (RAG members) / $10pp (non-members)

Booking for catering purposes is ESSENTIAL.
Please RSVP by Wednesday 5th February to Norah by telephone 9281 4613 or by email: coopsathome@optusnet.com.au

For more details please see the events page of the Roman Archaeology Group blog here.