Medieval Petra 2022: Excavation at the northeastern tower complex at al-Wu’Ayra (Petra – Jordan)

The article presents the first results from the 2022 excavation season at the al-Wu’Ayra site (Petra, Jordan). The study is part of the "Medieval Petra: Archaeology of Crusader-Ayyubid Settlement in Transjordan" project, conducted by the Chair of Medieval Archaeology of the University of Florence, since 1986. The 2022 activities were focused on two excavation areas, designated as 15000 and 30000, both located within the northeast tower complex of the 12th-century Crusader castle. Area 30000 pertains to the Crusader tower itself, which underwent various functional changes, including domestic and stable uses, throughout the Ayyubid-Mamluk and Ottoman periods. Area 15000, located outside the tower, reveals post-medieval transformations encompassing both indoor and outdoor spaces. Its primary chronological horizon indicates Early Ottoman period occupation phases involving sedentary and pastoral communities. The conclusions address updated hypotheses concerning the settlement and phased abandonment processes of the site.