Jordan

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Entry posted by korver · September 5, 2020

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Jordan is a country in the Middle East bordered by Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia which was part of the Land of Canaan in ancient times. The country is named for the Jordan River which flows between modern-day Jordan and Israel and whose name means "to descend" or "flow downwards". The region has a long history as an important trade center for every major empire from the ancient world to the present age (the Akkadian to the Ottoman empire) and numerous sites in the country are mentioned throughout the Bible. Alexander the Great (r. 336-323 BCE) founded cities in the region (such as Gerasa) and the Nabateans carved their capital city of Petra there from sandstone cliffs. Early in its history the area attracted and inspired traders, artists, philosophers, craftsmen and, inevitably, conquerors all of whom have left their mark on the history of the modern-day country. Let's take a trip to this country steeped in history and explore some of it's most beautiful sights.

Our trip to Jordan begins in the country's capital city of Amman. Amman is a city with a rich past, and today it's home to a number of impressive ancient ruins. Atop Jabal al-Qala’a hill in the center of the city lies the historic Citadel - which includes the pillars of the Roman Temple of Hercules and the 8th-century Umayyad Palace complex, known for its grand dome.

Immediately to the west of Amman, the terrain starts to drop rapidly in elevation and the landscape quickly turns to green. Jordan's western border with Israel is home to a number of natural wonders, starting with the Jordan River. Also known as Nahr Al Sharieat, this 156 mile long river flows roughly north to south through the Sea of Galilee and on to the Dead Sea - and holds major significance in Judaism and Christianity as the Bible states that the Israelites crossed it into the Promised Land and that Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John the Baptist in it. Additionally, the entire river lies in a structural depression and notably has the lowest elevation of any river in the world.

The Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea - one of the Middle East's most unique destinations. This large salt lake straddles the border between Israel and Jordan and is the lowest lake in the world - sitting more than 1,400 feet (430 meters) below sea level. Water from the lake, whose extreme salinity and high mineral content make it inhospitable to plant or animal life (which is how it got its name) has been used for health purposes since ancient times. Additionally, due to the high salinity levels in the lake (believed to be the highest in the world), it's possible for anyone to easily float in the lake without any effort whatsoever.

As we travel back through the country's interior, the terrain quickly starts to get much more desolate and barren. Large, windswept plateaus and deserts occupy much of the country's southern half - and the difficult terrain and frequent sandstorms and dust storms make travel difficult here. Since ancient times, it's been important for the locals to know the routes through this bare landscape - and one of the most important crossings is the Wadi Rum. The "Valley of the Moon" provides a vital route through the desert and is home to one of the world's most beautiful deserts. Here we see a closeup of one of the many narrow gorges that carve up the valley - and camel caravans offer tourists and locals a unique view of this one of a kind landscape. After a few days traveling through this inhospitable landscape, we've finally made it across the valley and our next destination awaits us soon.

The last stop in our journey across Jordan is perhaps the country's most iconic destination, Petra. This famous archaeological site in Jordan's southwestern desert dates to around 300 B.C. and it was once the capital of the ancient Nabatean Kingdom. Accessed via a narrow canyon called Al Siq, it contains tombs and temples carved into pink sandstone cliffs. Perhaps its most famous structure is 45m-high Al Khazneh, a temple with an ornate, Greek-style facade, and known as The Treasury.

A closeup view of The Treasury at sunset - the setting sun can change the colors of the rocks quite dramatically, making for an extraordinary view. Petra is also known as the "Rose City" and it's easy to see why at certain times of the day.

The last sight in our trek through Jordan is another one of Petra's gems - Ad Deir (also spelled ad-Dayr and el-Deir) - meaning "The Monastery". This monumental building was carved out of the rock in the mid-first century CE and is one of the most iconic monuments in the Petra Archaeological Park. The Monastery is located high in the hills northwest of the Petra city center, and is one of the region's most visited destinations as well. The huge facade, the inner chamber and the other structures next to it or in the wider area around the Deir probably originally served a complex religious purpose, and was possibly repurposed as a church in the Byzantine period.