past horizons 12 by Maggie Struckmeier & David Connolly This site forms a huge necropolis area which was purchased a few years damage through bulldozing, dumping of rubble on top of the burial areas Jerash, or Gerasa as it was once known, is an ancient Decapolis City situated on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire in northwest Jordan. It has been studied extensively over the past hundred years but almost exclusively within the old city walls. The team returned there in September 2008 to continue a hinterland survey which started three years ago, instigated by Professor David Kennedy of the University of Western Australia. The main goal of the project is to reveal more about how the hinterland of Jerash was utilised to sustain a growing population made wealthy on the profits of trade from the Silk Road and southern Arabia. However, the modern city is now expanding into these areas and so this survey may be the last chance to locate undiscovered sites, some of which will soon disappear forever, destroyed by the developer's bulldozer. continued ? ? Survey: Beyond the City Walls of Jerash

past horizons 13 years ago by the Department of Antiquities to save it from development. Unfortunately due to the lack of secure fencing it is sustaining much areas and tomb robbing. The inset photograph shows a sarcophagus smashed under the weight of a huge dumped boulder.