Jerash: round the back.

[OnlyMark]

It was a nice sunny day, the grass was growing, the birds were singing and we decided to have a walk around Jerash again. The site is quite massive and normally you tend to walk down the main street taking in what you can and then re-trace your steps back to the main entrance. This is what we’ve done several times when showing round visitors. We thought we’d do a bit of a circle around the back parts though where nobody seems to set foot apart from long lost archaeologists.

One of the previous visits is detailed here, Part 1 and Part 2
onlymark-expat-trips.weebly.com/jerash.html
onlymark-expat-trips.weebly.com/jerash-part-ii.html

The entrance fee for non-Jordanians currently stands at 8JD (about 8 Euro). Children under 15 years old are free and for Jordanians and residents it is half a dinar. We showed our resident visas, the girls are just 14 so it cost us the grand total of 1JD.

On the following map the ride line is our route staring from the south and following is a key as to the main buildings and places. A lot of in-depth information can be found but if you want to know a little more then have a quick peruse through this page. It gives quite a good overview –

www.atlastours.net/jordan/jerash_map.html




1. Hadrian's Arch
2. Hippodrome
3. City Walls & South Gate
4. Oval Plaza
5. The Cardo "Colonnaded Street"
6. Macellum
7. Umayyad Mosque
8. South Tetrapylon.
9. South Bridge
10. Umayyad Houses
11. The Cathedral
12. Church of Saint Theodore
13. Nymphaeum
14. Propylaeum
15. Temple Esplanade
16. Propylaeum Church
17. Naghawi's Mosque
18. West Baths
19. North Tetrapylon
20. North Colonnaded Street
21. North Gate
22. North Theatre
23. Church of Bishop Isaiah
24. Temple of Artemis
25. Three Churches
26. Church of St. Genesius
27. Saints Peter and Paul Church
28. South Theatre
29. Temple of Zeus
30. The Museum

[OnlyMark]

We made our way through the horde of souvenir shops at the south entrance, past the Hippodrome, Temple of Zeus and then cut a left up the hill past the South Theatre. A quick look back at it shows how well preserved it is though the pre-fab building and WC arrow tend to detract from its appeal –




We looked back down the hill towards the main street and then a little further on the route of it becomes more clear –






We headed towards a church, the St Peter and Paul Church –

[OnlyMark]

I noticed the sign, one which seems to be a bit hidden away and I suppose never really seen –




The question is, who is Gerald W. L. Harding?
It seems he was “a British archaeologist who was the Director of the Jordanian Department of Antiquities for twenty years.”
His ashes are actually at Jerash. More here –

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Lankester_Harding


A little further on is another church, the Church of St. Genesius –




All you need to do is brush away a thin level of dirt to reveal a mosaic –






I suppose the funds aren’t available to excavate this properly and preserve it. I am always amazed by the amount of archeological sites in the region that, due to funds, remain open to the ravages of time and weather.

[OnlyMark]

Anyway, a look ahead –










To our left we are at the very top wall of the complex –




As has happened for thousands of years, the shepherd and his flock are free to take advantage of the new spring growth. It matters not that this is a world renown site –

[OnlyMark]

Off to our right, back towards the main street, we see one more of the at least fifteen Byzantine churches found so far in Jerash. This one is the Church of St. Cosmos and St. Damian, twin brother doctors who were martyred in the 4th century.




We’ll get there in a minute, but on the way we come across the result of what happens when there is an earthquake, one that happened in 749AD and devastated the region, and then earth/dust covers up the remains. Obviously someone has discovered this but it’s not been excavated further –




Close by is this jumble of ruins, also one of the churches –




Numerous decorative pieces just laying around –

[OnlyMark]

As we approach the Church associated with the twin doctors we have a look back the way we have come. Our path is way over to the right skirting the boundary, to the far left as the land slopes away is the south theatre and temple of Zeus –



The church is famous for its mosaics, my poor photo doesn’t do it justice, there are many better ones out there –




We cut further around the back and see still a lot of areas where some work has been done but there is still a long way to go –

[OnlyMark]

We come towards the top end, the north end and see behind the north Theatre –




This was the Church of Bishop Isaiah, built in 559 AD. Just peeking through in the distance is the North Gate –








We move around the theatre, to the east and the new town, and take a look back to it –

[OnlyMark]

We eventually reach the North Gate, built in 115AD -




Then take a look back to the south along the old and hardly used street, it was never widened as with the main southern street –




We now make our way through the old baths, an area of 50m by 70m and various other structures –

[OnlyMark]

Then we cut back on to the main street looking to the north end –




We finish off following mostly this street until we return back to the beginning. We at least managed to avoid most of the tourists for quite a while –






Bye for now.

[happytraveller]

Nice thread, interesting place ! Thanks for sharing !

[Baz Faz]

Those Romans knew how to build. Thanks for taking the time to do this thread. Jordan is on my must-see lists.

[sophie]

I loved Jerash when I was there.. It was one of the many treats of travelling in Jordan. I enjoyed Jordan much more than I thought I would. Beautiful and hospitable place.

[kuskiwi]

Thanks Mark. Another who liked Jerash.
While the group I was with were standing listening to the Army pipers one of the group was doing a bit of flirting and made a funny comment about 'having a go' on the pipes and was handed a set of pipes. Was really amusing as she didn't have a clue what to do with them and kept making them squeal so passed them to me. One of my hidden (but not very good talents) was to play bagpipes. (I don't have the lung or strong cheek capacity now) Everyone including the original player was most surprised when I managed a recognisable rendition of "This old man, he played sticks, he played nick nack on his sticks with a nick nack paddy whack give the dog a bone, this old man came rolling home". It's actually a really good tune for digit control and part of most learners first few sessions so the others joined in. Quite a little jam session going there for a while but I ran out puff and that particular set had a very hard chanter reed which was too hard for me to manage for long.

[OnlyMark]

You seem to have hidden talents. I doubt many people at all could play a set. Good for you.

[kuskiwi]

Quite a few can in NZ. There is a very strong Scottish heritage. Our small farming area was able to field a band of 16 pipers and 4 drummers - 10 of them were from my extended family. I was piped in and out of the church when I got married as my husband and his three brothers also played. Will see if I can find some photos.