1.
GV Part of the Great Temple.
0.04

2.
SV During excavations.
0.08

3.
GV The Palace Tomb.
0.11

4.
GV Ditto.
0.16

5.
SV Men repairing part of Tomb.
0.17

6.
GV Ditto.
0.22

7.
GV The High Place.
0.25

8.
LV Ditto.
0.30

9.
SV Ditto showing entrances cut into rocks.
0.31

10.
GV Entrance to Tomb.
0.35

11.
GV Men on horseback through entrance to Tomb.
0.40

12.
GV Tombs cut into mountain face.
0.45

13.
STV..ditto.
0.49

14.
GV Monastery carved between the rocks.
0.53

15.
LV Ditto.
0.56

16.
GV and CU..entrance to monastery.
1.05

17.
GV Excavations in f/g of the amphitheatre.
1.09

18.
GV Ditto.
1.14



Initials PC/S/AW/PB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Petra - 180 miles to the south of Amman, Jordan - is one of the more unusual ancient cities of the world. It was entirely carved out of rock by the Nabataeans - a nomadic Arab tribe - in the second century. B.C.

The British School of Archaeology is halfway through its third season of excavation work in the Petra region, and work has seen in progress there Nov 7 on the Great Temple and the Palace Tomb.

Archaeological workers travel through the region on horseback - the most practical method of travel - to reach the many excavations. Many tombs cut into the mountain face are to be seen as well as a monastery and an amphitheatre.

Dr. Awni Dajani - Director of Jordan's Department of Antiquities - said recently that one of the main aims of the British School's work has been to reveal traces of the Hellenistic period in Petra. He said it was too early to say what structural remains, if any, survived from that time. The considerable amount of pottery and other material dating from the second and third centuries B.C. that have been found this year, testified to a permanent occupation of Petra at least as early as that.

The two previous years' work was concentrated on the Roman remains in Petra. Work this year is hoped to uncover more evidence of the hitherto completely unknown early period of Nabataean history.

Excavations have so far revealed a Roman paved street and a monumental gate. In an area to the south, part of a large, well-preserved stone building of the Nabataean period has been uncovered.