Within the framework of the excavation project "Petra-Ez Zantur", the Seminar for Classical Archaeology of the University of Basel, under the patronage of theSLSA, has been investigating the little-known private living environment of the Nabataeans in their capital Petra since 1988. With the aim to grasp the transition from nomadic to sedentary life of the Nabataeans, to gain insights into the development of Petraean residential architecture as well as the organization of the urban private quarters, dwellings of the 1st century B.C. - 5th century A.D. were investigated on the slopes south above the city center. A second objective is to clarify the typology and chronolgy of the locally produced pottery and other small find assemblages. So far, the occupation has been investigated on three terraces (EZ I, III, IV) and in a deep cut (EZ II).

The results of the excavations have been published in four volumes to date:

• Petra ez Zantur I. Results of the Swiss-Liechtenstein Excavations 1988-1992. With contributions by A. Bignasca - R. Fellmann Brogli - R. Glutz - S. Karg - D. Keller - B. Kolb - Ch. Schneider - R. Stucky - J. Studer - I. Zanoni, Terra Archaeologica II. Monographs of the Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad (SLSA) (Mainz 1996).
• Petra ez Zantur II. results of the Swiss-Liechtenstein excavations. Part 1: S. G. Schmid, The Fine Ceramics of the Nabataeans. Typology, chronology and cultural-historical background. Part 2: B. Kolb, The late antique dwellings of ez Zantur in Petra and dwelling construction in Palestine from the 4th-6th centuries AD, Terra Archaeologica IV. Monographs of the Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad (SLSA) (Mainz 2000).
• Petra ez Zantur III. results of the Swiss-Liechtenstein excavations. Part 1: D. Keller, The jars from Petra. Part 2: The lamps of the excavations on ez Zantur in Petra, Terra Archaeologica V. Monographs of the Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad (SLSA) (Mainz 2006).
• Petra ez Zantur IV, results of the Swiss-Liechtenstein excavations. M. Grawehr, A 1st century AD bronze workshop from ez Zantur at Petra, Terra Archaeologica VI. Monographs of the Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad (SLSA) (Mainz 2010).