Emergency Intervention for the Column of Jerash

During the initial examination, it was decided that the Column was too structurally compromised to be left as it was in a city park: the Corinthian capital and top drum had to be removed. After installing a temporary fence around the monument to keep the public a safe distance away and stabilizing the column temporarily with ratchet straps, rags, and improvised panels, we prepared materials and supplies, and built equipment to rig the capital and drum for removal and transport: foam panels (carved on site) to pack the large areas of loss, necklaced wooden slats to brace the column, and pallets and crate elements to assemble in situ and hold the capital and drum for transport. Although the drum was in a very fragile state, we were able to successfully remove and transport it without further damage being incurred, and the capital and drum are currently being held in storage until a decision is made about the restoration of the column.