Syria and Jordan in 2005

 

 

The 2005 trip to Syria and Jordan organized by Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in the spring of that year was an incredible journey.  Writing this blog 20 years later is really sad, although life got in the way…  but so many of the sights our group saw in Syria have been literally blown to smithereens.  Hopefully the photos will give you some idea of what the glory was before the events of the last two decades. (Many of the Syria photos courtesy of https://mybrothertraveler.com )

It was my opinion that it was good that this 2005 tour started in Syria, because a tour would have a hard time being lauded if it began in Jordan and then went to Syria.  Although both countries claimed in 2005 that they were “open air museums”, the sights in Jordan were truly fantastic.

Our group had lectures almost daily throughout the trip, some formal lectures at the beginning or end of the days, but being accompanied by true experts enabled us to have ongoing education at each stop.  Our experts were:  Dr Tarek Swelim, who holds a PhD from Harvard and is an art historian and expert on Islamic art and architecture, and in Jordan we were joined by Dr Pierre Bikai, director of the American Center of Oriental Research in Amman, who has carried out long-term archaeological research in Petra and Madaba and has been a pioneer in conservation and preservation issues. 

INTRODUCTION provided by Crow Canyon for their trip SANDS OF TIME- THE ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF SYRIA AND JORDAN: 

“The modern boundaries of Syria and Jordan reflect an ancient alliance dating back centuries.  Straddling the valuable trade corridor between Africa and Asia, this intriguing land is not only a link between three continents, but also the birthplace of agriculture and, indeed, the very cradle of civilization, with settlements dating back some 11,000 years.  Through the ages, different peoples have converged on this region, leaving their indelible mark on both the landscape and the culture.  From Stone Age peoples to the ancient Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans; from the Byzantines and early Muslims to the later Crusaders, Ottoman Turks and European colonists – all have played a key role in shaping the history of the region, with effects that are still evident today.”

But first, Syria….

SYRIA

Day 1:  we meet at the Ebla Cham Hotel in Damascus

View of the city of Damascus in 2005

Day 2: 

We visit a weaver’s workshop with Heike Weber. 

Heike is a German woman who lived in Syria for 40 years (20 years in 2005--) and made it her mission to better the lives of many Syrian and Palestinian women by providing work in embroidery, weaving and dress design. She also preserved ancient designs and patterns with her workshop enterprise.

 

We had free time to shop at the Souq al-Hamadiyee, part of Old Damascus and marveling at its labyrinth of blind alleys and timeless oriental bazaars.  In this Souq, there are luxurious silken brocades, precious works of marquetry, chiseled copper and other high-quality items. 

 

 

We visit the Tomb of Heroes:  Sultan Baybars and Salah ed-Din (Saladin)

Sultan Baybars, among other accolades, was one of the commanders of the Muslim forces that defeated the Seventh Crusade of King Louis IX of France. He also led the vanguard of the Mamluk army at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260, which marked the first substantial defeat of the Mongol army and is considered a turning point in history.  This is the Mausoleum chamber of sultan Baybars (1260-1277) in who was buried in the Al-Zahiriyah Library in Damascus:

 

Saladin, per Wikipedia, commanded the Ayyubid army which defeated the Crusaders at the decisive Battle of Hattin in 1187, capturing Jerusalem and re-establishing Muslim military dominance in the Levant. Although the Crusaders' Kingdom of Jerusalem persisted until the late 13th century, the defeat in 1187 marked a turning point in the Christian military effort against Muslim powers in the region.

Mausoleum of Saladin

 

Day 3: 

Visit to Nur Ad-Din Hospital, which is a museum of medieval medicine. One interesting fact is that the famous physician Ibn an-Nafis, who discovered pulmonary circulation, worked here in the mid-1200s. 

Our next stop was the Umayyad Mosque in the old city of Damascus, one of the great monuments of early Islam and one of the largest and oldest Mosques in the world.  (One end of the Souq terminates near the Umayyad Mosque.)  It's renowned for its architectural blend of Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic styles, and holds importance for both Muslims and Christians. Previous structures on the site of the Mosque included a Roman temple and a Byzantine church.  Although it is a place of worship for Muslims, it also houses a shrine believed to contain the head of John the Baptist, a figure revered by both Christians and Muslims. 

 

 

We walked through Via Recta, also known as the Street Called Straight, which is a historical east-west thoroughfare in the old city of Damascus, Syria. It was originally built during the Seleucid period and remains a prominent street in the city's old center.  Supposedly, Paul the Apostle stayed in a house on Straight Street.

Photo above: This is the street in the 1900’s  … (archives photo)

There is a Roman triumphal arch on Straight Street ( via Recta)

 

Visit to St Annania’s Church:  per Google, The Chapel of Saint Ananias in the ancient city of Damascus has been a place of worship for close to 1500 years. Often referred to as the House of Saint Ananias, what makes this church unique is that it lies underground. Paul the Apostle was known to be baptized in this church.

 

We visited Bab Sharqi, also known as the Gate of the Sun; it is one of the seven ancient city gates of Damascus. In addition to being the only original Roman gate still standing, Bab Sharqi is also the only gate of the eight gates to preserve its original form as a triple passageway, with the large central passageway for caravans and wheel traffic and the two smaller ones flanking the large one for pedestrians

 

We next visited the Chapel of St. Paul, a stone chapel built in part with materials from Bab Kisan, the city gate through which a Biblical account tells of St. Paul being lowered out of a window in a basket to escape crowds angered by his teaching. We were interested to see the window!  But it’s hard to know exactly where this might be, considering that the chapel was built from city gate materials…. However…. Lots of people look for that window!

 

Day 4: 

We left Damascus and drove through the rolling semidesert region to arrive at the village of Maalula (Maalouia) where the ancient language of Aramaic is still spoken. Per thenationalnews.com, “A symbol of Syria’s rich ethnic and religious diversity, Maaloula sits elegantly among the folds of the Qalamoun mountains, which extend into neighboring Lebanon. Many of its homes are built into the rock face, and its roads twist in sharp bends between sheer stone. It is one of the few communities in the world where Aramaic, the language spoken at the time of Jesus, is still in use.”

 

We visited St Takia (Thakla) and St Sergius convents

The Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Maaloula, Syria: This monastery, also known as the Kloster der Heiligen Sergius und Bacchus, is said to be one of the oldest monasteries in Syria, dating back to the early 3rd or 4th century. It was built in honor of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, Roman soldiers martyred for their Christian faith. The monastery is renowned for its historical and religious significance, as well as its unique location overlooking the village and surrounding mountains. 

 

 

Per Thomas from Damascus/TripAdvisor ~ “Deir Mar Takla is also called: Saint Thakla’s Convent and Shrine.  It is in the old city of Maaloula. According to the legend of St Thecla, Thecla was a girl who belonged to a noble pagan family from Qalamoun. At age 18, Thecla ran away from home. Her father had arranged her marriage to a pagan, but she wanted to be a Christian. The convent is a Greek Orthodox Convent and named after the famous Saint Thecla. She lived during the Roman Period and is said to have run away and took refuge in a cave or grotto in the city of Maaloula. That cave still has a natural spring and it is said that the holy water cures many health related diseases.  This convent is a major place of Christian pilgrimage in Syria.  More photos of this beautiful convent at https://travel2unlimited.com/syria-maaloula-saint-thekla-convent/

 

 

Since our visit in 2005 – sad news --. ISIS invaded the small town of Maaloula on September 5, 2013, going on a rampage against Christian people and buildings, destroying all holy sites in the city. 3,000 fled the city, leaving only Muslims and the Monastery of St Thekla’s forty nuns, twelve of whom were kidnapped by ISIS in early December of the same year. The nuns were released in March 2014.  In 2018,  reconstruction work on the monastery was completed.  (per https://orthochristian.com/114918.html )

 

We drive to Krak Des Chevaliers, an outstanding example of twelfth-century Crusader castle architecture and an important ancient defensive site.

 

Our day ends at Hama, a beautiful town noted for its 17 ancient norias, or water wheels, designed to carry water from the river into the town and the surrounding agricultural areas. 

 

Overnight at Apamee Cham Palace hotel

 

Day 5:

Our morning visit is to Azem Palace, built in 1749 by the last of the illustrious Azem governors.  It is a splendid mansion built around a beautiful courtyard

 

The Azem palace is now a museum of art and popular tradition.

 

We drive to qabaat Al mudig, site of the city Apamee which was built 2,300 year ago. The view of the ruins, outlined against lush pastures and distant mountains, is breathtaking.  The long stretch of columns gives a full perspective of the huge scale on which Roman Apamea was conceived.  At its zenith, the city was home to half a million and entertained such dignitaries as Cleopatra.

 

 

Our next stop is Ebla. This was a preeminent Early Bronze Age city-state, covering a huge area, with palaces, tombs, temples, an acropolis, fortresses, and a defensive wall with four gates for entry.

 

More than 15,000 Sumerian clay tablets have been unearthed in Ebla’s ruins.   These tablets contain a wealth of information about economics and local administration, and even include dictionaries of other languages.

 

 

Our final drive of the day is to Aleppo, where we stay at the Beit Wakeel Hotel.

Day 6:

Aleppo is Syria’s second largest city, and was an important trading center between Asia and the Mediterranean since Roman times.  In 2005 it was an animated Arab bazaar city still steeped in tradition.

HOWEVER Aleppo was among the most dangerous frontlines in the Syrian civil war, which lasted from 2011-2024. Rebels and Islamists battled Syrian armed forces for control of the city. UNESCO has estimated that 60% of the Old City of Aleppo was severely damaged, and about 30% completely destroyed.

 

 

Our first visit is to the National Museum of Damascus, which houses one of the world’s great collections of archaeological and historical materials.  The museum’s imposing façade was originally the entrance to a seventh-century palace. Of particular interest are the Hittite sone sculptures excavated along the Euphrates River. 

 

We then visit the Aleppo citadel, a masterpiece of Arab military architecture.

 

 

After lunch, we went to the Madrasa Halawya, and then to a covered bazaar.

 

Day 7: 

 

We visit the Great Mosque of Aleppo, also known as the Great Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo, was built in Syrian Islamic style. It was built in the beginning of the 8th century CE by the Muslim Arabs. However, the building that these photos show dates back to the 11th through 14th centuries. Sadly, much of the mosque, including its famous 11th-century Seljuk Minaret, was destroyed during fighting in the Syrian Civil War in April 2013.

Panoramic view by Guillaume Piolle

Full view of the mosque, photo by “Sorry We, Syrian people”

Outer view of the mosque, photo by Gianfranco Gazzetti

 

Internal facade from the courtyard, photo by Fede Renghino

 

Ablution fountains, photo by Bernard Gagnon

 

Destruction in 2013 during Civil war; photo by Gabriele Fangi

~~~~~ just so sad ~~~~~~

 

We drive an hour outside of Aleppo to visit the St Simion Monastery, and the remains of the cathedral.  This fifth-century church has a platformed column on the top of which St Simeon lived and preached for 42 years.  It is one of the oldest surviving church complexes. Completed in 490, it was not surpassed as a Christian church until the construction of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was finished in 537.

This is a great bit of history, thanks to Wikipedia, about this famous saint. “ Saint Simeon was born in 390 AD in a mountain village. He entered a monastery at the age of 16, but he was judged to be unsuited for cenobitic life due to his extravagant asceticism. Following the example of Saint Anthony, he attempted to live the life of a hermit ascetic in the wilderness, but his feats of physical endurance and self-denial attracted pilgrims seeking religious instruction and other devout admirers. In an effort to escape from such distractions, he resolved to live on a small platform atop a 3-meter column. The height of the column was raised over time to 18 meters. From his perch, Simeon preached twice a day to the crowds who gathered to witness this spectacle of self-mortification. A ladder attached to the column allowed messengers to bring food and written messages to Simeon, who also sent letters to his followers this way. He became well-known enough to attract the attention of the several of the eastern, who sought his advice and implored his intervention in state affairs. Simeon lived on the column for years, dying in AD 459 at the approximate age of 69.  A few decades following Saint Simeon's death, a large monastic church occupying over 5,000 square meters was constructed on the site where his pillar stood.” 

 

This is what the church looks like after an air strike in 21016 during the Civil War.   From a UNESCO press release, this is part of what the world lost during this war…. “The Church of Saint Simeon Stylites is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Ancient Villages of Northern Syria, some 40 villages grouped in eight parks situated in north-western Syria that provide remarkable testimony to rural life in late Antiquity and during the Byzantine period. Abandoned in the 8th to 10th centuries, the villages, which date from the 1st to 7th centuries, feature a remarkably well preserved landscape and the architectural remains of dwellings, pagan temples, churches, cisterns, bathhouses etc. The relict cultural landscape of the villages also constitutes an important illustration of the transition from the ancient pagan world of the Roman Empire to Byzantine Christianity. Vestiges illustrating hydraulic techniques, protective walls and Roman agricultural plot plans furthermore offer testimony to the inhabitants' mastery of agricultural production.”

 

 In the afternoon our group had an excursion to the villages of Huir al Hoss and Herbakia to meet with local weavers.  (If I ever find my camera photos, I’ll post those images here, I promise!)

 

Day 8:

In the morning, we drive for about 1 ½ hours to the castle of Qala at Jaabar,  a citadel built entirely of bricks in the Mesopotamian style. Although the hilltop on which the castle sits was possibly already fortified in the 7th century, the current structures are primarily the work of Nur-ad-Din, who rebuilt the castle from 1168 onwards.  Its site, formerly a prominent hill-top overlooking the Euphrates Valley, is now an island in Lake Assad that can only be reached by an artificial causeway. “Qalaat Jabaar is a historic castle situated on the shores of Lake Assad in Syria. The castle dates back to the 11th century and is known for its strategic location and impressive fortifications. Originally built by the Mirdasids, it was later expanded by the Zengids and Ayyubids. The castle features a series of towers and walls that offer a glimpse into medieval military architecture. Despite damage over the years, Qalaat Jabaar remains an important cultural and historical site.” (courtesy Mindtrip.ai)

  

We stop briefly at a Bedouin market before arriving at Rasafa, sometimes called the Pearl of the Levant Desert. Raised on the site of the martyrdom of Saint Sergius, the town became an important Christian Pilgrimage center.  The fifth-century walls built of shining white gypsum by Byzantine Emperor Anastase, the stunning remains of the basilicas, the huge vaulted cisterns, and the magnificent norther gate make Resafeh on the best-preserved examples of Byzantine architecture.  It was one of the cities of the Kingdom of Palmyra. It is one of the oldest ancient Syrian cities dating back to the Roman and Byzantine eras.

“The ancient city of Rusafa is located in eastern Syria south of the Euphrates River, toward the western fringe of the steppe lands that stretch from Iran in the east to the agricultural hinterlands of Aleppo in the west. Diocletian (r. 285-305) established Rusafa as permanent fortified enclosure on the border of the Roman Empire and Sasanian Iran, although the site is mentioned in earlier biblical and Assyrian texts. Its transformation into a permanent settlement may have to do with its strategic location on the borderlands of the two great empires of late antiquity, situated both along overland routes from Syria into Mesopotamia and located near watering sites in the arid steppes. Rusafa flourished from the fifth through the seventh century AD during which time the relics of Saint Sergius were translated to a new shrine within the city walls, attracting pilgrims. The city was renamed Sergiopolis after the martyr saint and grew to prominence as a pilgrimage center.” (archnet.org)

 

 

 

We drive through the fertile Euphrates Valley.

 

We stop at the strategic fortress town of Halabiyyeh ( Halabya) which was founded by Palmyra’s great Queen Zenobia in the third century CE.  It was also a defensive frontier of Roman Syria to protect the region mainly from Persia. The site occupies an area of 30 acres, protected by massive city walls and a citadel on top of a hill. We have a cocktail party there, overlooking the Euphrates River.

 

 

Our final journey is to Derizzor (Deir Ez-Zur), a pleasant riverside town on the Euphrates where we stay at the Badyat Al Cham Hotel.

 

In the market in Derizzor (Deir Ez-Zur) ~

 

Day 9: 

We drive south through the great Syrian desert – keeping an eye out for camel caravans – to arrive at the oasis of Palmyra. This was a crucial stop on the Silk Road.  Our drive today was a distance of 150 miles, and we check in at the Palmyra Cham Palace hotel.

 

 

Palymra dates back to the second century A.D., and was once the economic center of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. The magnificent archaeological site here has been extensively excavated and restored,  The layout of the site did not follow classic Roman town planning, but retained a distinct cultural expression of its own.

 

Our tour of Palymra included:

Temple of Bel (Baal) ~ This was the Temple of Baal, one of the best preserved and largest ruins of Palmyra. The temple was built within four walls of about 650 feet long each and was completed in 32 A.D. Along with its impressive size, the importance of this religious building was underlined by its location in the centre of Ancient Palmyra, at the eastern entrance of the Colonnaded Road.

The grandeur and importance of the temple was tied to the god worshiped in the temple: Baal. The name of this Semitic god means “Lord” in the ancient language of Akkadian. Baal is also seen as the equivalent of the Greek god Zeus. Derived from Baal is the god Baalshamin, which means Lord of the Heavens.  In the temple, Baal was always accompanied by two other gods: Yarhibol, god of the Sun, and Aglibol, god of the Moon. Together, the three gods formed a triad only known to Palmyra.

The Temple of Baal became one of the most important religious buildings of the Middle East in the first century A.D. For centuries, the building kept its religious function but the religion practiced within its walls changed with the times. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the temple was converted into a Byzantine Church. During the rule of the Arabs it was converted again, this time into a mosque. During this period the temple was also fortified on its western side.

 

Great Colonnade ~

 

Theater ~

 

Agora:  The Agora of Palmyra is part of a complex that also includes the tariff court and the triclinium, built in the second half of the first century AD. The agora is a massive 71-by-84-metre (233 by 276 ft) structure with 11 entrances.

 

Museum ~ (courtesy smart-guide.org) Palmyra harbors many cultural treasures. Apart from the important buildings and monuments that have survived the ages, many interesting artifacts were discovered in Palmyra. These objects were displayed in the Palmyra Museum, located at the entrance of the modern city of Tadmor. The museum opened its doors on August 6, 1961. The museum focused mainly on funerary and religious art excavated on site. It successfully demonstrated both the Greco-Roman as well as Eastern influences in Palmyra. Reconstructions and models of the ancient buildings, now gone, were also on display in the Museum’s collection. One of its main attractions stood outside its walls in its garden, namely, the famous Lion of Allat, found near the Temple of Allat. The Museum’s garden was also full of statues and antiquities.
During the summer of 2015, it became clear that ISIS would be an imminent threat to the cultural riches of Palmyra, including the museum. In an attempt to safeguard as many objects as possible, many of the artifacts were transferred to other museums around the world. A large part of the collection was sent to Damascus. When the ISIS forces finally entered Palmyra, the museum was practically empty, except for the objects that couldn’t be moved because of their weight or size.

 This photo was taken in 2005; I do not know if this statue survived ISIS

Inside the museum after ISIS

 

Day 10:

We return to Palmyra’s archaeological site to visit the following places:

 

The Valley of the Tombs ~ The Valley of the Tombs is an ancient necropolis located west of Palmyra, Syria. It's a kilometer-long stretch characterized by distinctive tower-tombs.  (Other tombs where wealthy Palmyrene families were buried were in elaborate, multi-chambered underground mausoleums, often decorated with frescoes and statues. )

 The oldest types of burial at Palmyra were tower tombs. The most visually prominent kind of burial in the city, tower tombs began as exclusively above-ground structures. Later they evolved to include a single underground crypt. This laid the foundation for Palmyra’s final type of tomb, the underground hypogeum tomb, which was completely hidden from view.

 

The funerary Tower of Elahbel (also known as Yemilko Tower Tomb)

Photo above: The grave shelves inside the funerary tower of Elahbel. Each level consisted of a single central room, decorated with painted reliefs with long rectangular niches set around the edge like shelves. These shelves were large enough to take a single inhumed body. Each opening was sealed with a stone plaque decorated with a sculpted relief of the deceased and their name.  
(photos credit Natasha Sheldon)

 

We drive the 3 hours back to Damascus, stopping at the Baghdad Café. “The Bagdad Cafe 66 is a well-known roadside cafe and inn located on the Damascus to Palmyra road in Syria. It's a popular stop for travelers, particularly backpackers, seeking a break in the desert landscape. The cafe is known for its authentic atmosphere, decorated with local items like carpets, and its simple menu featuring Syrian drinks and dishes like omelets and sheep's cheese.”  (per AI)

 

 

 

 

 Our hotel is the Damascus Cham Palace.  Prettry luxurious!

 

Time to re-organize and get ready for the next leg of the trip!

Jordan!

 The 11^th day of the trip, we crossed the border and entered Jordan, arriving at Jerash in time for lunch.  We explored the remarkably well-preserved archaeological site, the best example of a Roman provincial capital in the Middle East.  Archaeologists have found two theaters, an unusual oval-shaped forum, temples, church, a marketplace, and baths.  Although excavations have revealed that the site was inhabited beginning in Neolithic times, it was during the reign of Alexander the Great, around 332 B.C., that the city rose to prominence.  (There are excellent photos and detailed descriptions of parts of this site at https://international.visitjordan.com/Wheretogo/Jerash)

The South Theater at Jerash (photo above) could seat more than 3000 spectators

 

Still paved with the original stones – the ruts worn by chariots are still visible – the half-mile long Cardo Maximus was the architectural spine and focal point of Jerash.

 

We drove on to Amman via the Giliyad (Gilead) Mountains.

 

Photo by Jim Greenhill, U.S. Army

We checked into the Radisson SAS hotel.

The 12^th day of the trip found our group in Amman, one of the most continuously inhabited cities in the world, beginning in the 8^th millenium B.C. It is the capital and the largest city in Jordan.  

The day started with a lecture by the archaeologist Pierre M. Kikai, who among other things was director of the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR).  He accompanied our eager-learners to the Citadel, and took us on a tour of Jordanian history from the Paleolithic to current age.  The Citadel sits on an L-shaped hill towering over downtown Amman, in the central part of the city.  There is evidence of Roman, Byzantine and Islamic construction and artifacts dating from the Bronze Age indicate that the hill may have been a fortress for thousands of years.

Citadel hill

 

The Umayyad Palace in the Citadel (photo by peuplier from Switzerland Suisse)

 What is amazing is that the excavation of this hill (“tell”) has been so well done.   Pierre has great influence with the antiquities authorities in Jordan, and one of his best acts was to stop the Italian archaeological mission from filling in partial streets of mosaics and partial missing columns with – gag, choke – cement!  It was at first hard to imagine that anyone would be so insensitive to a world heritage, but not now;  we have seen many travesties of excavation and grave robbing that would bring tears to the experienced eye.  As it is, it is sad enough to see.

We went to the National Archaeology Museum which is located on the Citadel hill. (It is now known as the Jordan Archaeological Museum).  It housed an extraordinary variety of artifacts ranging from the famous plastered skuills to Jericho to beautiful Omayyad artwork.

These skulls date back to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period (c. 8200-7500 BCE). They are notable examples of early ancestor worship practices, where the deceased were buried under house floors, and the skulls were sometimes detached, reconstructed with plaster, and adorned with shells and paint. 

 

Our next stop was the center maintained by ACOR and we were escorted deep into the basements of this 6-story building, where we saw funerary goods from the Nabatean culture (Petra, etc) and I was particularly intrigued by a plate that was the thinnest pottery that I have ever seen on a thrown-wheel piece.  And it was etched in the most incredible patterns too. (I have no photo of it, unfortunately....)

(Prior to 2020, ACOR was known as The American Center of Oriental Research)

Of course it is hard to resist a culture which believed from early times so thoroughly in the Mother Goddess, the creator of all life.   I was interested to learn that some of the figures of the Mother Goddess are covered with fish, and that fountains were created where the water flowed downward from her head through the fish fins, thus re-emphasizing the source of life and fertility that she represents.   I also learned that the Tree of Life motif, of which I am so fond in my Persian antique carpets, is another modification of the Mother Goddess form.

After lunch, we went to Darat al Funun, a home-for-the-arts created by the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation.  Many of the galleries of the museum were frozen at the time of the death of A.H. Shoman, by his wife.   Other galleries contain art which she has created on the theme of the rock formations at Petra, and other more modern pieces.  That was all nice, but of course my heart was captured by the 1507 map of Jerusalem by Sebastian Munster, a woodcut with original color and published in Basel in 1548.  The piece is in excellent condition.  (Can’t find my photos, but it looked a lot like this…)

 

 

Then we went to a lecture on the Umayyads, although in some ways I find that the Byzantines who followed them were more colorful even if they are a bit more gross in architectural and painting technique.

I was fortunate to have dinner with the owner of the Regency Palace Hotel, whose American wife is the sister of a former client of Keck & Co.   It was very interesting to hear her talk about her life with her Jordanian husband of 49 years, living first in Jerusalem for 18 years where his company built the first 5-star hotel, and then in Amman building the hotel chain here.  She is part of a support group of American women married to Jordanian men, and her tales were human an heart-rending.  Some of her friends who married Moselm Jordanians had converted to Islam, simply because a non-Moslem cannot inherit from a Moslem.   Her story of how her daughter never wanted her mother to speak to her when she picked her up from school, because she had the only non-Jordanian mother, her stories of not being able to communicate with her tribal mother-in-law, and her longing to see her daughters more frequently (the girls are both in the USA) were “women’s stories” of the archetypal kind, universal and appealing.  After dinner we went to the lounge for cognac and Damascean music; a wonderful evening. 

 

Speaking of food, I am quite sated with the mezze appetizers that are inevitably offered at every meal.  I used to love hummus, but now … I don’t know.  A little hummus goes a long way.  Add a bit of water and voila, you have wallpaper paste.

The 13^th day of the trip is a day in the desert to look at Stone Age tools and rock etchings.  Many of these etchings are accompanied by an Arabic script which is pre-Islamic by a few centuries. 

I love deserts.

For some ridiculous reason, our bus is accompanied by a security guard.  We actually don’t mind him because he is quite handsome in his Jordanian way, but it all seems unnecessary to me.  However, every large tourist group is assigned such a person at the border crossing (at least, from the direction of Syria) and so Ahmed tags along.  A few of the ladies (there are 7 of us) said that actually they are feeling quite insecure and could we please be assigned a few more good looking guards….

We visited the Qasr Al-Kharaneh, one of the best-known of the desert castles located in present-day eastern Jordan.  It likely originates from the Umayyad dynasty.  An inscription on an upper wall dates the building to before 710 CE;  it could have had many purposes… a Crusader's castle, a military stronghold, agricultural outpost, resting place for caravan travelers, a meeting place for local Bedouin leaders – no one knows for sure.  It has remarkably well preserved rooms decorated with carved plaster medallions and Kufic inscriptions.

 

Our next stop, Qusayr ‘Amra, per UNESCO, was “built in the early 8th century beside the Wadi Butum, a seasonal watercourse, this desert establishment was both a fortress with a garrison and a residence/pleasure palace of the Umayyad caliphate. The exceptionally well-preserved small pleasure palace comprises a reception hall and hammam (a bath complex with changing room, warm and hot rooms), all richly decorated with figurative murals that reflect the secular art of the time.”

Photo by  Ko Hon Chiu Vincent

 

Photos from Jean-Jacques Gelbart

 

We headed in our 4x4’s into the Black desert, which is aptly named for the volcanic rocks and basalt that colors the stony formations there.

(Credit: Suzuki Kaku/Alamy)

 

We visited many castles or caravanserai (hard to know what use they had) that seemingly were built in the middle of nowhere.  One such building was the home of Lawrence of Arabia (previously known as, ahem, Lawrence of Oxford) for several months.  Another had an interior dome that has the first known complete celestial map of the Northern Hemisphere.  Another had a bathhouse (hamman) that showed scenes of naked ladies, hunting parties, those who had submitted to the rule of the castle owner, etc.   Although none of the art – or even parts of the castles – are well preserved, they are indicative of a a creative people who lived life to the fullest.

 

We stopped briefly at the oasis town of Azraq which was once on a major caravan route.  Later it was a resting place for T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia).   Today (2025) it is the site of a huge refugee camp for displaced people from the Syrian Civil War

Photo credit:  Jean Housen

In early afternoon, we visited an ancient burial cairn, Azraq, that was about to be excavated by ACOR; it attracted interest because of the pre-Islamic petroglyphs on the small boulders strewn around the cairn.  These rocks sport etchings of camels, horses, ladies dancing, as well as inscriptions comprising a genealogy of the 13-or-so generations buried there.  The earliest inscriptions date from 400-600 B.C. and are written in an Aramaic/Arabic script that seems to draw a lot of influence from the Greek.  Our archaeologist provided sandwiches and snacks and soda, and we picnicked among these thought-provoking boulders.

 

 Admittedly, today was not the easiest going (think: rocky roads or no roads at all, GPS to find our way and then circle back when we didn’t, heat in the 90’s, no breeze, worry about tire blowouts out of the range of cellular, etc) but it was not the worst travel I’ve encountered.  At our stop on the way back, we pulled out the maps and sited our last location as 30 miles from the Saudi border and 45 miles from Iraq.  Of course on the way back into Amman, we were stopped by Jordanian soldiers wanting to know what we’d been doing out there, but Pierre is so well known that he just smacked his forehead and said, “What?  You’ve been standing in the hot sun too much today!”  They laughed, and on we went.

Day 14 was a very easy day.

We first visited the Roman Amphitheater. This is a 6,000-seat, 2nd-century Roman theatre. It’s a famous landmark in the Jordanian capital, dating back to the Roman period when the city was known as Philadelphia.

Photo credit:  Bernard Gagnon.

 

Then a tour of the Folklore Museum where a wondrous variety of costumes from the Middle East are displayed. 

 It was a woman’s delight, seeing all of the fabrics, embroidery, jewelry, headdresses, shoes etc.  Widad Kawar, the woman who created the museum by virtue of getting grants from various foundations did so because she herself in the 1950’s  started collecting costumes of disappearing traditions. After the visit to the museum, we were invited to Widad’s home which was almost a museum in and of itself.  When the group walked in the door, we ladies were directed to the right and traditional dresses flew off her coatrack and onto us.  She then selected belts, headdresses, scarves etc to complement. We went into her living room for tea, and each of us stood up in turn while she described the origin of the dress, the ceremony for which it might be worn, and whether or not such garb was still being produced.  Sadly, most of these beautiful textiles are no longer being made, and the embroidered dresses that many tourists go home with are generally of synthetic fabrics with machine embroidery produced in China.  However, the ”costume party” was more fun than I'd had in a long time.  For more about Widad, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widad_Kawar

 

In the afternoon, we stopped at some handicraft stores.  Back to the hotel, and I decided that I’d just walk around the neighborhood.  It was a nice neighborhood to begin with, as the British Counsel and the Saudi Embassy are both located on Rainbow Street.  As I walked down the hill, I found myself in a Palestinian neighborhood.  Shop afer shop of mechanical repairs, tailors, shoemakers, etc.   I entertained myself in a housewares store; there is always some new pot in every culture that I don’t have in my kitchen.

Day 15:  We left Amman early for our journey to Petra.  (I have already set aside some Jordanian Dinars to pay for a donkey ride up the 700 steps to get to the main point of Petra, and will probably have to set aside some more Dinar to pay for the chiropractor afterwards.)  We drove through the desert most of the day, after first stopping at a new excavation at Bethany that’s recently opened.  Theoretically this is where John the Baptist baptized Jesus, and there does seem to be some archaeological proof here.

 

Photo credit: Simon Balian of the Baptism Site Commission

We drove a bit more and spent several hours in Madaba, where our tour expert Dr Bikai conducted excavations and restorations which led to the creation of an archaeological park.  The site is known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics. Probably the best known is a fabulous map of “all roads lead to Jerusalem” in mosaic on the floor of a Greek Orthodox church.  The map dates from about 600 AD and includes Palestine and Lower Egypt.   

The visitors center at Madaba.

 

THE FAMOUS MADABA MAP   - Photo credit: David Bjorgen

The site includes an interesting museum consisting of several old Madaba homes and displays mosaics, jewelry and traditional costumes.

 

A stop at Mt Nebo!  This is a biblical site where Moses is said to have viewed the Promised Land before his death. It features ancient churches with mosaics and a modern chapel.  It’s a pilgrimage site which offers breathtaking views over the Dead Sea and the church spires of Jerusalem.  It is said to contain the tomb of Moses.

By David Bjorgen

Mosaic floor in the diaconicon-baptistery

View from Mt Nebo.   Photo by Vyacheslav Argenberg

 

 

We got back on the Desert Highway

Photo by Hansueli Krapf

 

and stopped at the Sultani Rest House. Then we arrived late in Petra and checked into the Sofitel Taybet Zaman, which hotel is actually a small village that the hotel company bought from a group of villagers and then renovated. Charming!  I couldn’t find a flaw in the place – it’s the most perfect hotel for this kind of location!

 

Day 16.  This morning we made an early start for Petra.  Every person who is interested in Middle East travel has heard of Petra.  It is a “red-rose” city carved out of multicolored Nubia sandstone.  Dating back to the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods (10,000-6,000 B.C.), Petra was the capital of the Nabatean Arabs around the time of Christ.  What an amazing site!  It is perhaps not as mind-boggling as the Pyramids, but the approach is so spectacular along the wadi, a narrow winding gorge that leads to the most impressive of Petra’s buildings, the first-century Treasury which is adorned with columns and statues carved out of the brilliant red rock.  

Photo above: The Treasury in Petra

 

There is an 8,000 seat amphitheater.  The theater features a cavea (auditorium) with about 45 rows of seats divided into three galleries, a stage building made of ashlar and marble, and two barrel-vaulted passageways under the seating area. 

Photo credit Shutterstock

 

 

The Temple of the Winged Lions.  The temple is likely dedicated to the supreme goddess figure of the Nabateans. The Temple of Winged Lions was ultimately destroyed in the massive earthquake of 363 CE.

Photo credit: Bernard Gagnon

 

A winged lion!   Photo credit: ACOR

 

The Tombs of the Nobles:  The magnificent Royal Tombs are carved into one continual cliff face along the western face of Jabal al-Khubtha that rises above the center of the Petra Archaeological Park. These large mausoleums were the tombs of Nabataean kings over 2,300 years ago.

Left to right:  the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb, and the Silk Tomb.  Photo credit: David Stanley 

 

We spent 7 hours at the site and were lucky that our guide could call his chums at the Antiquities Department and order up two pickup trucks to take us back to town to enjoy the delight of the Movenpick hotel.  Which had ice cream!

Day 17. 

Day 17.  We went to visit “little Petra” in the morning, another Nabatean site built around the same time as Petra, and having many of the same characteristics.  Also known as Siq al-Barid, it is located north of Petra and the town of Wadi Musa.

Photo by Bernard Gagnon

 

 

Nearby is a Neolithic site, Beidha,  that our Dr Pierre Bikai and his team are excavating.  It is unusual because it shows rectangular homes being built on top of an earlier generation of round homes, and is thus considered a “transition site”.  All kinds of scrapers and arrowheads just lying around on the ground!  Age of the site is approximately 12,000 B.C

 

We followed the desert highway back to Amman to drop off our expert, and turned toward the Dead Sea.  We checked into the Marriott Dead Sea hotel.  It had air-conditioned rooms, a spa, room service and a sea-side location! 

Time for a dip in the Dead Sea, which is the lowest point on earth.

Tonight I am the director for the end-of-the-trip gala (my idea).  I supplied all the ladies with bellydancing finger-cymbals, and all the gents with Bedouin tambourines.  We wrote verses, the rhymes of which are to be accented by the cymbals and tambourines.  Many of us acquired scarves and dresses for the occasion!  I chose a Syrian men's long white robe, complete with the kind of checkered tablecloth-type of headdress with a wide black band that the Bedouins wear.  The staff at the hotel helped me correct the folds of the headdress.

One of the things I learned about life on this trip is, that there is only one life.  Maybe 2 or 3 if you are John the Baptist, whose head seems to be buried in several different places in Syria and Jordan. 

Day 18.  On to the next adventure:  a few days with long-time friends who now live in Bahrain!