Temple of the Winged Lions

Analyses of the architecture, goods, and practices associated with the Temple of the Winged Lions afford valuable insights into Nabataean religion, economy, and culture.

The interior walls of the temple were originally decorated with stucco, marble, and/or plaster and painted in bright reds, greens, yellows, black and white as well as adorned with intricate frescos reminiscent of Greek "initiation" scenes at Pompeii.

[1] However, the temple has been re-purposed in several phases throughout its existence and the decoration was eventually painted over in neutral tones at the same time new floral designs and marble bases were applied to standing columns within the space.

[5] Housing an extensive complex of specialized workshops, the west side of the "Temple of the Winged Lions" also functioned uniquely as a place of manufacture of marble figurines, iron and bronze items, religious altars, painted ceramics, hooks for hanging meats and poultry and even luxury items such as oils, perfumes, and frankincense and myrrh from southern Arabia intended to be shipped to the Roman world.

[1] In 2009, The Temple of the Winged Lions Cultural Resource Management (TWLCRM) initiative was started between the Petra Archaeological Park (PAP) and the Department of Antiquities of Jordan (DOA) in a renewed effort to preserve and rehabilitate the site.

This included "a core team of five local community members from the Bedouin village of Umm Sayhoun in Jordan who held supervisory roles over excavation, conservation, and documentation of the site.

In addition, unfilled trenches and scars left by past excavation projects continue to be back-filled and native plant species reintroduced into the landscape in order to re-secure top soils and contribute to environmental improvement at the site.

The initiative has also taken steps to involve local indigenous populations in restoration efforts in order to foster a closer relationship between ongoing archaeological investigations in Petra and the often marginalized Bedouin communities living in and around the site.