Publication Date
2nd century / 8th century
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
monument;ISL;jo;Mon01;14;ar
Library Location
The city of Jerash is located 34 km north of the city of Amman, Jerash, Jordan
Date
2nd century / 8th century
Notes
The city of Jerash is famous for its buildings dating back to the Roman and Byzantine eras. It is now clear in light of archaeological excavations that the plan of the city, with its straight streets intersecting perpendicularly, did not appear suddenly, but was the result of a development that extended over a period of a century and a half - from the middle of the first century AD to the end of the second century. The city is surrounded by a 3.45 km long wall, and within the walls there are 2 km long streets paved with stone slabs. This is in addition to two temples, one dedicated to the god Zeus and the other to the god Artemis, two theatres, two large baths, and a horse racing field. All of these facilities indicate the ambition of the city's residents and their desire to highlight their city in its most beautiful image. The excavations that took place between 1925 and 1934 focused on buildings dating back to the Roman and Byzantine eras, without giving much importance to the early Islamic period. But this situation changed in the 1980s, when the early Islamic period, especially the Umayyad era, was given the importance it deserved. In this context, we must note the contribution of Professor Allen Walmsley, who relied on several historical and archaeological sources, in addition to studying coins minted in Jerash, to confirm the continuation of settlement in Jerash until the end of the 3rd/9th century, and to explain the importance of the city in the Umayyad era. In the Umayyad era, Jerash minted its own bronze currency (filos) before and after the monetary reforms carried out by Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (r. 65-86 / 685-705), and the name of the minting city (Jerash) appeared on some coins written in Arabic. In this period, Jerash was also an important center for the manufacture of pottery vessels and lamps, some of which featured the name Jerash alongside the name of the maker. It is worth noting here the discovery of many pottery kilns within the city. These pottery products were not only intended for local use, but were also exported to nearby areas in northern Jordan. Fourteen churches were built in Jerash, most of which were established in the 6th century AD and the beginning of the 7th century AD, and most of them remained in use as places of worship throughout the Umayyad era. Excavations that took place in the 1980s in the part located to the north of the western extension of the southern main street revealed Umayyad buildings preceded by shops opening onto the paved street. But the most important discovery was in 2002, when a mosque was uncovered located west of the intersection of the two main streets. This mosque took a rectangular shape with dimensions of 44.50
Sample Text
Ghazi Bisheh “Jerash” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;jo;Mon01;14;ar
