Department of Antiquities, Jordan

Department of Antiquities, Jordan
Agency name	Department of Antiquities, Jordan
Native name	دائرة الآثار العامة
Formed	1923
Jurisdiction	Jordan
Headquarters	Amman
Minister1 name	Minister of Tourism and Antiquities (Jordan)
Parent agency	Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Jordan)

Department of Antiquities, Jordan The Department of Antiquities, Jordan is the national antiquities authority responsible for the protection, management, and study of archaeology and cultural heritage within Jordan. Established in 1923 during the Emirate of Transjordan period, it operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Jordan) and collaborates with regional and international bodies such as UNESCO, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, and the British Museum on research, conservation, and museum development.

History

The institution traces its origins to mandates issued during the British Mandate for Palestine and the administration of Emir Abdullah I in the 1920s, evolving alongside major archaeological discoveries at Petra, Jerash, and Umm al-Jimal. Throughout the Mandate for Palestine and Transjordan era, the Department worked with archaeologists from the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem, the American Schools of Oriental Research, and the Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft. Post-1946 independence and the 1950s growth of national institutions saw expanded excavations at Qasr Amra, Karak Castle, and the Dead Sea Scrolls-era sites, while later decades featured collaborations with teams from the Institute of Archaeology (University College London), the Smithsonian Institution, and the Louvre.

Organization and Governance

The Department is structured with regional directorates centered in Amman and field offices that oversee archaeological sites such as Aqaba, Ajloun Castle, and Madaba. Senior leadership reports to the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities (Jordan) and liaises with the Jordanian Armed Forces regarding site security and emergency response. Advisory committees include representatives from academia—University of Jordan, Yarmouk University, University of Oxford collaborators—and from international partners like the German Archaeological Institute and the Danish Institute in Damascus.

Functions and Responsibilities

Key mandates include site survey and registration of archaeological sites, permitting of excavations for institutions such as the American Center of Oriental Research, oversight of antiquities export controls tied to international instruments like the 1970 UNESCO Convention, and the curation of finds destined for municipal museums such as the Jordan Archaeological Museum and the Jordan Museum. The Department enforces laws pertaining to protected properties including castles and baths complexes at locations like Ajloun Castle and Umm al-Rasas, and administers salvage operations in contexts affected by projects involving entities such as the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority.

Major Projects and Excavations

The Department has directed or permitted landmark excavations at Petra with teams from the University of Pisa, at Jerash with collaboration from the American Center of Oriental Research, and at Tall al-Umayri and Tall al-Muqaret with regional partners. Conservation-oriented projects include work on the Quseir Amra frescoes in partnership with the World Monuments Fund, survey campaigns across the Dead Sea shoreline with the Israel Antiquities Authority and international teams, and multidisciplinary studies at Umm ar-Rasas with the Getty Conservation Institute and European universities.

Conservation and Museum Management

The Department operates conservation laboratories and coordinates with institutions such as the Conservation Center of the Institute of Archaeology (UCL), the National Museum of Jordan project partners, and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature on site stabilization, artifact conservation, and preventive measures at open-air sites like Petra and indoor collections at the Jordan Archaeological Museum. It issues conservation guidelines applied to mosaics in Madaba, stonework at Karak Castle, and Islamic-period architecture in Amman's Citadel, often with technical assistance from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and the French Institute for the Near East.

Legal Framework and Heritage Protection

The Department implements heritage legislation such as the national Antiquities Law and enforces international instruments including the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (1972) and the UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects (1995). It maintains the national register used in restitution efforts alongside agencies like the Interpol cultural property unit and coordinates repatriation claims with counterparts such as the British Museum provenance researchers and the Metropolitan Museum of Art when illicit exportation is alleged.

International Cooperation and Education programs

The Department hosts and partners in capacity-building and educational initiatives with the UNESCO Amman Office, the European Commission cultural programs, and universities including the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Leiden University. Programs include field training for students from Yarmouk University and the University of Jordan, joint fellowships with the Getty Foundation, workshops with the World Monuments Fund, and exchange projects with the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Syrian Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums on regional heritage management.

Category:Cultural heritage of Jordan Category:Government agencies of Jordan