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.

past horizons14 Limestone Roman water channel lying in a field at Wadi Deir From information gained in the initial 2005 survey we knew the kind of sites we would be likely to encounter. They ranged from various types of tombs, quarries, cisterns, inscriptions, mausoleums, olive and wine presses to architectural fragments and mosaics. Given the large area that the small team needed to cover, the primary objective was to gather sufficient information as quickly as possible to enable interpretation to take place. On discovery of a new site, a global positioning satellite ( GPS) reading was taken, a unique identifying number allocated and a survey form filled out with a basic description, including type of site, condition and immediate threat, along with a quick sketch plan and measurements. The site was photographed and, when necessary, a surface artefact collection was undertaken, mainly ceramics in this case. The whole process could take about 20 minutes before the survey team moved on. A more complex site, however, could take considerably longer, but it was important to remember not to get bogged down in detail, tempting though it was. The hinterland in the immediate vicinity of the city is filled with tombs, mostly dating from Roman times when the population was at its largest. It is common to find that a rocky limestone outcrop first used as a quarry was then reworked into a site for burial afterwards. We encountered simple rock cut graves, caves with niches for sarcophagi or ossuaries, to impressive monumental mausoleums complete with underground chambers intended to hold up to 30 sarcophagi which would be sealed behind heavy limestone doors. Sadly, all those we recorded had been robbed with the internal spaces now being used as storage rooms or rubbish dumps, whilst others are being destroyed by the new construction works which are taking place. Discovering stone inscriptions was always exciting, and those located during the two seasons of work ranged from Greek and Roman altar texts to an early Christian gravestone and a 13th century Abbasid text. One of the most satisfying days for us was the rescuing of four Roman milestones, one of which was previously unknown, lying amongst rubbish in an olive grove. Where possible, all of these pieces were immediately recovered by