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Far out on Jordan’s northeastern plain, the black basalt towers of Umm Al-Jimal rise stark against the desert sky—a city so complete that nineteenth-century travelers compared it to an enchanted place from the Arabian Nights. Today, Umm Al-Jimal stands not only as one of the best-preserved ancient towns in the Near East but also as Jordan’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 2024).

This talk traces Umm Al-Jimal’s long rediscovery—from its Romantic portrayal as a “petrified city” to its transformation into a model of community-based archaeology and international heritage stewardship. Drawing on material from a new book he is writing (Umm Al-Jimal: Mother of Camels, Mother of Beauty), Dr. Rohl will explore how two centuries of exploration and research mirror the evolution of archaeology itself: from nineteenth-century adventurers and antiquarians to twentieth-century field scientists and, now, collaborative twenty-first-century practice that bridges scholarship, technology, and local partnership. Along the way, he will share updates from recent field seasons, the UNESCO nomination process, and his 2024-25 academic year sabbatical/Fulbright Fellowship in Jordan.

Ultimately, Umm Al-Jimal’s story is one of endurance and renewal: a reminder that archaeology is not just about uncovering the past, but about cultivating living connections between the past, the present, people, and place.