Colonial-industrial heritage in Jordan: the case of the As-Safawi H5 pumping station

The heritage of the recent and contemporary past has become a major area of study for historical archaeologists, architectural historians and heritage professionals. Yet the industrial heritage of the Middle East has been comparatively little studied despite the very significant role the extraction of oil has played in the region’s modern history: the early history of oil extraction is inseparable from the imperialist and colonial history the region experienced. Like other parts of the historic environment, this built heritage is under increasing pressure from natural decay, lack of care and ongoing development, it has, however, received considerably less attention. This paper seeks to address this gap by examining the As-Safawi H5 pumping station in eastern Jordan, built during the British Mandate era as part of the Kirkuk–Haifa pipeline. Using a multi-method approach that integrates archival research, site surveys, aerial documentation and community engagement, the study provides the first comprehensive record of the station’s architecture and its influence on Transjordan’s military-political architecture and urban development. The study innovatively situates industrial heritage within the intersecting frameworks of historical, industrial and contemporary archaeology, heritage studies and Middle Eastern geopolitics, revealing how colonial-era infrastructure has shaped, and continues to shape, Jordan’s socio-political and urban landscapes. The findings highlight the need for further documentation and conservation, underscoring Transjordan’s role as a strategic corridor in regional industrial and political development.