Photo: Getty
Archaeologists discovered potentially breakthrough evidence for a “massive flood” that may have destroyed the ancient city of Petra, leading to its mysterious mass exodus.
Source: Archaeology breakthrough: Analysis suggested city of Petra destroyed by ‘massive flood’
Photo: Sam McNeil
Ancient cultures constructed complex water management systems that included dams, catchment systems, underground cisterns and aqueducts.
Source: We can learn a lot from ancient civilizations about modern water management
Photo: Getty
These are some of the best things to do during your trip to Jordan.
Source: A guide to Jordan: What to see and do while you’re there
Photo: Taylor Luck
In Salt, Jordan, the world’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site, history and architecture have created a model of interfaith and communal harmony.
Source: At newest World Heritage Site, harmony and hospitality are in the stones
Salt became the sixth Jordanian landmark to be declared a World Heritage Site, succeeding Petra, Wadi Rum, Qasir Amra, Umm Al-Rasas, and Bap
Source: Salt became the sixth Jordanian landmark to be declared a World Heritage Site
Photo: KAWA
The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites is growing every year with new magical places all over the world. The Arab world is once again not left behind, since a village in Jordan has obtained its precious sesame for this very closed club. The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites is growing every year with new magical places all over the world. The Arab world is once again not left behind, since a village in Jordan has obtained its precious sesame for this very closed club.
Photo: Daniel Case/Wikimedia
From Yemen’s 16th century ‘Manhattan of the desert’ to the Nabataean ruins of north-western Saudi Arabia, Middle East Eye takes a look at some of the region’s lesser known marvels…
Source: Eight Middle East heritage sites you should know about
A 10 day itinerary of Jordan including the Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash, Amman, 2 castles, and canyoneering Wadi Mujib…
Source: Places to Visit in Jordan – Ancient Cities, Crusader Castles, and Canyoneering – Amateur Traveler
Dotted with several UNESCO World Heritage sites, Jordan is on every traveller’s bucket list. This historic country is safe, friendly and takes travellers right into history books. From admiring fading frescos at the grand desert castle of Quseir Amra and climbing red sand dunes in Wadi Rum to exploring the jewel of Jordan, Petra, the country has a lot of jaw-dropping attractions that are waiting to be explored.Here are some of the key attractions in Jordan for a first-time visitor to the country.
An international advisory board has been formed to oversee the Baptism Site Development Zone, in line with His Majesty King Abdullah’s commitment to safeguarding the site as a global tourism and pilgrimage destination.The Baptism Site of Jesus Christ in Jordan, also known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan, holds great significance for all Abrahamic faiths, and is one of the most sacred places on earth for all Christians, since it is where Jesus Christ was baptised by John the Baptist, and where Christianity began, according to a statement made available to The Jordan Times.
Source: Upon Royal directives, international advisory board formed to oversee Baptism Site Development Zone
While UNESCO and the Vatican agree the site is in Jordan, a spot across the Jordan River, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, draws more visitors.
Source: Where Jesus Was Baptized, Jordan Vies With Israel For Tourists
Traverse the other-worldly scenery of Jordan’s Wadi Rum. The unparalleled desert, which has provided the backdrop to movies like The Martian and Star Wars, offers travelers the opportunity to hike, camp, and take in a landscape not unlike Mars. For a true outer space experience, visitors can stay overnight for a guide-led star-gazing adventure.
Source: Exploring Mars Without Ever Leaving Earth’s Orbit in Wadi Rum, Jordan
A project to safeguard ancient inscriptions and drawings in a desert valley is helping local Bedouins to draw connections to the past.
Source: In Jordan’s desert, ancient rock art finds modern defenders
Melinda Healy was left in awe after a guide surprised tourists with a unique spiritual experience…
Source: How the sound of one man’s call to prayer in Petra is educating tourists from around the world
The desert castle Qasr Amra (or Qusayr Amra), located 25 kilometres west of Azraq, is one of the most important monuments in Jordan and in the whole world, said an Italian architect.“It bears the only preserved large wall-painting cycle dating back to the Umayyad period [first half of the 8th century AD],” noted Giorgio Sobrà who is in charge of the restoration of the castle.
Source: Italian architect seeks to unravel ‘mystery’ of Qasr Amra
Umm Al Rassas is a UNESCO World Heritage site, located about 75 kilometres south of Amman, famous for its 16 Byzantine churches. In the late third century AD, the place was known under the name Kastron Mefaa, being the military camp of a cavalry unit, which protected the neighbouring villages from bedouin raids. Due to population growth in the fifth and sixth centuries, the place became the civilian, double-walled town of Mefaa.
Source: Project digs into ancient agricultural practices in Umm Al Rassas
Long before the rise of Islam in the 7th century AD, an Arab power arose in the 4th century BC. Known as the Nabataean Kingdom, is formed from an Arab, Bedouin tribal base, much as the Islamic empire did almost a millennium later. In time, the Kingdom became a client state of the Roman Empire and thereafter declined in importance to the point where it almost disappeared from the map. It became so hidden in its geographic and economic isolation that it was virtually forgotten, becoming home to just a few nomads.
Source: The Nabataeans–An Early, Pre-Islamic Arab Kingdom Once Lost in Time
The Al-Hijr site in Saudi Arabia As an ancient city carved out of sandstone, Al-Hijr extends over an area of 15 km² in northwest Saudi Arabia. This is a magnificent site, left as a legacy by the Nabataean civilization, with a multitude of tombs, wells and monuments richly decorated. As you walk through them, you …
Source: Middle East: an overview of UNESCO World Heritage Sites – KAWA
The Ultimate first-timer’s travel guide to Petra, Jordan.
Source: A Guide to Petra: One of New Seven Wonders of the World – Out of Town Blog
