The Columbarium, Petra, Jordan

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Petra, an ancient Arabian city carved out of Jordan's sand-stone mountains in Wadi Araba, has stood for over 2000 years. Founded as the capital of the Nabataeans, its structures now face a grave threat from earthquakes, floods and natural weathering. Monitoring and documentation are desperately needed to safeguard these tombs and monuments before they erode beyond recognition. In 2013, 184 laser scans were captured for this site by the Zamani Project, as part of the Siq Stability project funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for UNESCO through its "Funds in Trust" initiative. This ambitious undertaking is led by the UNESCO Amman Office and involves expert geologists from ISPRA, the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, alongside local partners including the Petra National Trust, the Department of Antiquities of Jordan, and the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority.