Sharjah24 – Reuters: Preparations are underway to nominate Umm el-Jimal for UNESCO's world heritage list, Jordan’s director of the department of antiquities, Fadi Balawi said.

Located in a remote desert in the north of Jordan and comprised of basalt constructed settlements, a communal water system, churches, cemeteries and military forts, Umm el-Jimal was occupied and built by many civilizations including the Nabataeans, Romans, Byzantines and Umayyad’s.

It was later inhabited by nomads and sporadic settlers.

"The thing that distinguishes it the most is the architecture, its nature and its location in a remote area," Balawi said.

"(Umm el-Jimal) is evidence of how humans inhabited the area, adapted to it and were able to tame the environment and transform it from a remote desert area to an attraction point for civilizations over centuries," he added.

While placed on the tentative list of world heritage sites in 2018, the government has been working on developing the site to qualify for a full nomination since then.

The development process included the restoration and renovation of the site and setting conservation and management plans.

Working alongside the government is the local community, whose ancestors lived at the site until the 1970s, and who play a role in its documentation and restoration.

Jordan has 6 sites already inscribed on the world heritage list including Petra, Wadi Rum, Salt city, the Baptism site, Quseir Amra, and Um er-Rasas.