Sights in Madaba

The Madaba Mosaic Map is an index map of the region, dating from the sixth century CE, preserved in the floor of the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George. With two million pieces of colored stone, the map depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns in Palestine and the Nile Delta.

The mosaic contains the earliest extant representation of Jerusalem, lapeled the “Holy City.” The map provides important details as to its 6th century landmarks. This map is one key in developing scholarly knowledge about the physical layout of Jerusalem after its destruction and rebuilding in AD 70.

Other mosaic masterpieces found in the church of the Virgin and the Apostles and the Archaeological Museum, depict a profusion of flowers and plants, birds and fish, animals and exotic beasts, as well as scenes from mythology and everyday pursuits of hunting, fishing and farming. Hundred of other mosaics from the 5th through the 7th centuries are scattered throughout Madaba.

Archaeological finds in Madaba

The first mosaics were discovered, purely by chance, during the building of the new permanent dwellings using squared-up stones from the old monuments. The new inhabitants of Madaba, made conscious of the importance of the mosaics by their priests, made sure that they took care of and preserved all the mosaics that came to light.

The mosaic Map of Madaba was discovered in 1896; the findings were published a year later. This discovery drew the city to the attention of scholars worldwide. It also positively influenced the inhabitants who shared the contagious passion of F. Giuseppe Manfredi to whose efforts we owe the discovery of most of the mosaics in the city. Madaba became the “City of Mosaics” in Jordan.

The northern part of the city turned out to be the area containing the greatest concentration of mosaic monuments. During the Byzantine-Umayyad period, this northern area, crossed by a colonnaded Roman road, saw the building of the Church of the Map, the Hippolytus Mansion, the Church of the Virgin Mary, the Church of Prophet Elijah with its crypt, the Church of the Holy Martyrs (Al-Khadir), the Burnt Palace and the Church of the Sunna’ family.

The Madaba Mosaic Map is an index map of the region, dating from the sixth century CE, preserved in the floor of the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George. With two million pieces of colored stone, the map depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns in Palestine and the Nile Delta. The mosaic contains the earliest extant representation of Byzantine Jerusalem, labeled the “Holy City.” The map provides important details as to its 6th century landmarks, with the cardo, or central colonnaded street and the Holy Sepulchre clear visable. This map is one key in developing scholarly knowledge about the physical layout of Jerusalem after its destruction and rebuilding in AD 70.

Other mosaic masterpieces found in the church of the Virgin and the Apostles and the Archaeological Museum, depict a profusion of flowers and plants, birds and fish, animals and exotic beasts, as well as scenes from mythology and everyday pursuits of hunting, fishing and farming. Hundred of other mosaics from the 5th through the 7th centuries are scattered throughout Madaba’s.

Mosaics in Madaba

Beautiful mosaic floors have been unearthed in Madaba, the most famous being in the Greek Orthodox Church of St George, which contains the astonishing mosaic map of Jerusalem. This mosaic dates from the 6th century CE and, while unfortunately it is very fragmentary, there is a good picture of Jerusalem. It is one of the earliest contemporary maps of the country.

Other mosaics:
House of Mitri al-Masarawa on the east side of the town; a small perfect floor with animal figures and a medallion containing a female head in the center. House of Misa’ad al-Twal, near the above; large floor, probably of a private villa, partly built over by the modern house. Figures of a man and woman dancing, the woman wearing cymbals on her wrists and ankles; also some animal figures.

House of Aziz Shawaihat, on the west side of the town: remains of three or four different pavements, one in the courtyard, all in a poor state. Part of a very fine floor which was in a house on the south side of the town has been removed to the museum for preservation, as it was being utilized for the floor of a garage. This floor is made of exceptionally long tesserae or stones, at least twice the length of those usually found.

History of Madaba

Modern Madaba is somewhat rambling and untidy, built on an artificial mound which conceals the remains of all the earlier Madabas. The town has a long history behind it, being first mentioned in the Bible, Num.21, at the time of Exodus, about 1300 BC; a tomb of this period has been found on the east of the town. It next appears in the list of towns divided among the tribes in Josh.13:9, when it was given to Reuben. It was then an Amorite town, Iying between Dibon and the capital Heshbon. It is mentioned in the Mesha stele, at which time it was in Moabite hands.

By Maccabaean times (c.165 BCE) it had been reoccupied by the Ammonites, but about 110 BCE it was taken, after a long siege, by John Hyrcanus. It remained in Jewish hands until the time of Alexander Jannaeus, and was one of the towns promised to Aretas, king of the Nabataeans, if he helped Hyrcanus II to recover Jerusalem.

The Romans made it a typical provincial town like Jarash, with colonnaded streets, fine temples and other buildings, large water cisterns and a town wall. It continued to flourish to the end of the Byzantine period. It was then the seat of a bishopric, and is mentioned in the articles of the council of Chalcedon in 451 CE. After this it appears to have been abandoned. Except for one cistern and the mosaics, no traces of the Roman town remain today.

Geography of Madaba

Madaba lies 20.5 miles to the south of Amman, Jordan, on the road which leads to Karak and Petra. From Amman the road climbs up in a series of steep zigzags to the plateau above, where it levels off; to the west can be seen the ruins of an Iron Age village, now called Ummal Swaiwin. To the east is the village of Quaismah, and a small square building can be seen to the south of it, which is a Roman tomb of the 2nd or 3rd century CE. The road now crosses a great plain of red soil which produces very fine crops of corn; in spring large clumps of the black iris can be seen here.

Madaba is the first town on the historic King’s Highway which follows the crest of the Mountains of Moab. Six miles north-west of Madaba is Mount Nebo, most prominent point of the Moabite Range. From the top, a half mile up, is a magnificent view of the Dead Sea. Curving below the meandering River Jordan can be traced by the vegetation, and beyond a panorama of mountains. On a clear day Jerusalem is visible in the distance. At Syagha, on the summit of Nebo, Moses is said to have looked over the Jordan to the land of Canaan, and struck the rock at a spot now known as the spring of Ain Mousa.

Introducation of Madaba

Madaba, is a capital city of Madaba Governorate, which has a population of about 60.000. Madaba is the fifth most populous town in Jordan. It is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of Palestine and the Nile delta.Town in west-central Jordan with 80,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate), on a highland at an elevation of 760 metres. It is the capital of Madaba Governorate with an area of 940 km² and 145,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate).

Madaba’s economy is based on local agriculture and services for the surrounding region. The main produce are wheat and barley. Madaba lies on the older King’s Highway, but only 10 km from the modern highway going north-south in Jordan. Amman is 30 km north. Madaba is famous for its massive collection of Byzantine mosaics, preserved in churches and museums. Mosaics continued to be made even during Umayyad times, but styles continued to be the same as before.

There is especially one mosaic which is famous for both its beauty and its historical value. It dates back to the 6th century, and is a map of Palestine and the Nile Delta, more than 150 m² large. It is the oldest map of Palestine, including a detailed plan of Jerusalem and many places in the Negev Desert not mentioned in any other sources. Madaba has a number of other beautiful mosaics too, shedding light on life during the early centuries of Christianity.