Stepping Through Time: Repeat Photography in Petra, Jordan

Professor Kaelin Groom recently visited campus in early October to discuss her exciting new book on Petra, Jordan, that explores the use of repeat photography to document, examine and analyze environmental and cultural change in the magical, ruined city of Petra.

Drawing on more than a century of original photographs for comparison, in it Groom reconstructs the original photographic vantage points to capture evidence of change across Petra over a century in PETRA Rephotographed.

This detailed and striking book reveals a changing ageless place from the impact of tourism, nature, development and past attempts at conservation.

Likewise, her talk addressed the ideas of Petra’s landscape, the human and natural influences on change and this time-tested method for historical reconstruction, but also for advancing interdisciplinary conversations around cultural resilience, stewardship and the lived experience of heritage sites and indigenous peoples.

A recording of her talk is available to watch online and embedded below.

Groom’s talks are known for her striking before-and-after photographs, insights from extensive fieldwork and discussions of the ethical and practical implications of researching often disputed and dynamic landscapes.

After her U of A. talk, there was a special book signing event, hosted by the Department of Geosciences and the King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies, which also included delectable Arabic food catered by Toot Beirut restaurant of Rogers.

Groom is a notable alumna of the U of A’s geosciences, Middle East studies and environmental dynamics programs, having studied under University Professor Tom Paradise. She is a geographer, geomorphologist, heritage scientist and educator at Arizona State University in the School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning, where her teaching and research address how landscapes change over time and what those changes reveal about landscape, geology, vegetation, stone architecture, culture and resilience.

Groom is a two-time Fulbright scholar and has spent several years working in Jordan, while collaborating with organizations including ACOR, SCHEP, UNESCO, the U.S. State Department and the American Explorers Club.

Her research is driven by a determined curiosity and a deep love for the delicate, unique beauty of our Earth’s deserts. Her new book focuses on Petra, using repeat photography to tell the story of a place shaped by time, people and shifting perspectives. It is already receiving international accolades. For more information: www.kmgroom.com or at amazon.com/kaelin groom petra.

This story also appeared in the University of Arkansas News publication.