Middle Eastern Geodatabase for Antiquities, Jordan

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s archaeological heritage is among the world’s richest. To efficiently manage these resources while protecting and preserving them for future generations, Jordan needed a comprehensive up-to-date record of the location and characteristics of each archaeological site. To address this, the Middle Eastern Geodatabase for Antiquities, Jordan (MEGA-Jordan) project custom built a geographic information system to inventory, manage, and protect Jordan’s archaeological sites.

• A workshop was held for DoA personnel in Amman at the American Center of Oriental Research in June 2007, attended by thirty-five DoA staff members, including inspectors and members of the DoA team assigned to the MEGA–Jordan development effort.
• A prototype of the system was implemented for use in Amman and Irbid in the summer of 2009.
• MEGA–Jordan officially launched in April 2011 at a ceremony held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan.

In collaboration with the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and Jordan's Department of Antiquities (DoA), the MEGA–Jordan project was launched for the development and implementation of a geospatial information system to inventory and manage Jordan's numerous archaeological sites.

A memorandum of understanding was signed in May 2007 by the project partners mandating the development of a new inventory system, which was completed in June 2010. MEGA–Jordan is, at its core, an electronic inventory capable of maintaining information on site location and extent, site characteristics, and site condition in an easy-to-use manner. Ultimately, it is helping standardize and centralize information on archaeological sites throughout the country in a single system focused primarily on the aims of heritage management and research.

Jordanian Department of Antiquities; World Monuments Fund