Living Museum of Umm Qais (Jordan)

• Start date: 1 February 2019
• End date: 31 March 2022
• Funder: Arts and Humanities Research Council under the Newton-Khlaidi Fund partnership in the UK (AH/S011609/1)
• Principal investigator (UK): Prof. Gehan Selim, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds
• Principal investigator (Jordan): Dr. Monther Jamhawi,
• Co-investigators:
  Dr Shoaib Nouh Ma’bdeh, Jordan University of Science and Technology
  Prof M. Gamal Abdelmonem, Nottingham Trent University
  Dr Shatha Abu-Khafajah, Hashemite University of Jordan
  Dr He Wang, University of Leeds
• Researchers: Dr Andrew Holland, University of Leeds

Umm Qais is a settlement in Northern Jordan, founded in the 4th Century BC as a Macedonian Greek colony called Gadara. The extensive Hellenic, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval Islamic and Ottoman archaeological remains of the last 2400 years of continuous settlement have left a complex layering of cultural influences on the community, architecture and spatial layout of Umm Qais, giving it it's distinctive character. The most recent layer of Ottoman period courtyard houses are built on and into the oldest area and reused walls, masonry and decorative elements from Gadara's ancient past within their rich social and cultural heritage. However, in the 1980s and 90's the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities approach to "museumification" resulted in the community's displacement from their village and surrounding farm land damaging their social traditions, economic welfare and breaking their deep connection to physical heritage of the site. 90% of the historic buildings of the village suffered neglect, deterioration and some collapsed.