Preliminary survey forthe rehabilitation and seismic protection works of the Middle Age Castle of Shawbak in the UNESCO area of Petra (Jordan)

The Castle of Shawbak (Jordan) in the UNESCO archaeological area of Petra is, from the constructive point of view, a monument of primary importance in the Middle East, located along the historic King’s Road from Syria to Egypt via Jordan. Remarkable sets of constructive elements, walls, floors and lintels, can be identified by age and construction period: from the irregular stones with lime mortar or a mixture of pressed earth (early Byzantine and Crusade), through the semi-regular masonry (Ayyubid) and up to more recent masonry texture concerning regular stones with occasional hilling flakes and well squared double-facing monumental stones. Relevant buildings survive in the Castle area, as the St. Mary Church and the Ayyubid Palace, partially conserving the original features as stone vaults, arches and lintels, together with columns and walls. A typological survey and a proposal about consolidation techniques are presented in order to conserve and to restore the archeological parts.