PUSH Site Visit - Jordan
August
20-22, 2008
Executive Summary
View and Download a PDF of
the Executive Summary
Table
of Contents
Site Visit
Itinerary………………………………………………………… 2
Site Visit Executive Summary……………………………………..…....... 3
Site Visit Supplementary Guide…………………………………………. 6
Site Visit Participants List……………………….………………………..
11
Wednesday,
August 20, 2008
13:00 Participants Arrive in Jordan
13:30 Pella Site Visit
17:00 Baptism Site Visit
19:30 Dinner in Madaba
Thursday,
August 21, 2008
09:00 Um er-Rasas Site Visit
12:30 Mount Nebo Site Visit
15:00 Tel Hesban Site Visit
16:00 Madaba Mosaic Site Visit
19:00 Group Discussion
20:30 Dinner in Madaba
Friday,
August 22, 2008
9:00 Palestinians depart for Allenby Border Crossing
10:00 Jerash Site Visit
11:30 Ajloun Site Visit
Executive
Summary:
PUSH Jordanian Site Visit August
20-22, 2008
Overview
During the course of the PUSH Jordanian Site tour a group
of 55 Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian tour guides, site
managers, and heritage specialists traveled together
throughout Jordan visiting sites representing various
aspects of the region's shared heritage. The site visits
inspired discussion both at the sites, on the bus and
throughout the shared meals during the three days.
While the guests were constantly engaged in small group
discussion one large group discussion took place on the
evening of second day. The discussion was held in English
with Arabic and Hebrew translation as needed. Select
comments from the meeting using Chatham House Rules are as
follows:
I have participated in several PUSH events in the past
including workshops and site tours in Artas. Having now
experienced the shared heritage in Jordan, I would
sincerely like to visit Beit Shean and Gesher to better
understand the way the Israeli sites link to the Jordanian
and Palestinian sites. If there are any further
opportunities for this I would like very much to
participate. The Palestinian sites are underdeveloped and
visits to the more developed sites will give us an
opportunity to see what we can develop in the future. Artas
is an example of an underdeveloped site. We hope that PUSH
can support development activities in Artas and other
Palestinian sites. I would really like to thank PUSH and
the Project Managers and Project Coordinator for the
opportunity to participate in PUSH events thus far. (Arabic
translated to English)
Participating in the PUSH project has been a very unique
and important opportunity for me. I am an environmental
expert – working with the project and traveling to sites as
a group has been a great experience for me to hear and
learn about other points of view. This type of project is
not only about promoting dialogue for me it is about
learning. This is the most distinguished project that I
have been involved with. I hope in the future we can expand
to more sites with more community involvement. I realize
that all good things start small and get bigger – PUSH is
definitely on its way. What we have now is of great value –
I hope it continues in the future. (Arabic translated to
English)
This project is my baby shared with a few other of the
project's managers and coordinator. I will thus share a
very personal story. As I child growing up in Jerusalem I
understood the Palestinian narrative well, the Old City is
a Palestinian city, the holy sites are our sites. Only
later was I exposed to another narrative as I became an
Israeli tour guide. This was a conflicting narrative, one
that shocked me. Here, particularly in this region, we must
make attempts to balance. All of you are one team with us
now for nearly two years. We have only just scratched the
surface of what we can do together. We have indeed worked
very hard and from what I see here – it is worth it. All of
our peoples must be exposed to the multitude of narratives
this region shares. Moreover, we must work on the ground to
affect people and their understanding of heritage and our
shared history. (Arabic translated to English)
When I hear this story I am very moved. I share this story
and the growth experienced within it – but from the other
side. I too was born in Jerusalem and experienced a similar
transition of knowledge and discovery. I believe that the
PUSH project is one of the projects that has the greatest
potential to change the situation and change people's
understanding of our region. Ten years ago I could never
imagined or dreamed of traveling in a bus together with
Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians. This experience is
truly moving and touching – amazing really. I feel very
excited to be a part of such a group and such a project. I
think we should focus more on telling our story in our
publications – like the brochures – this should be the
focus. Thank you to the Jordanians for hosting us. When we
all stood together at Mount Nebo/Nevo and we spoke about
Moshe/ Moses it was at last the same Moshe/ Moses, the same
mountain. We have really come together in ways I couldn't
have dreamed. We should all feel privilege to be a part of
PUSH. Thank you. (English with Arabic translation)
I will speak a bit of Hebrew in order to introduce a third
language into the discussion. I think the main objective is
to meet people and create cross-border linkages. We look
for this opportunity – and there are very few. The real
story here is between people and I ask you to speak – even
if you don't understand because we don’t want to miss a
moment of this opportunity we have to be together. In
response to earlier comments, I look forward to inviting
you to my house, to visit my community. I want you, my
friend, to likewise invite me to your house. We must work
to open our doors to each other. For some of our Jordanian
guests, I visited Jordan many times in the past. In fact I
have been to all of the sites that we visited thus far. But
I find myself more and more excited and each time I come I
see more and more development. I really praise you for the
love and care you are putting into your sites. For me when
I come as a tour guide I see the site differently from when
I come now with the PUSH project. In this way we have
succeeded greatly. Follow up question: Did you mean
that when you come as a tour guide you experience is
different than as a visitor? I can say now that I have
experienced what PUSH is trying to do. (Hebrew and English
with Arabic translation)
In addition to what was previously said about opening doors
we point out the great difficulties we face in visiting
each other; permits, visas, areas A, B, C etc. Additionally
we know that Israelis can not visit us in Areas A.
Furthermore Al Quds University is well known as the most
open Palestinian university, we have over 60 cooperation
projects yet we are the only Palestinian that is not
accredited by Israel and our degrees are not recognized. It
is no secret that the university leaders including our
President Sari Nusseibeh are considering a different
approach. (English with Arabic translation)
Speaking of one of the other participants, this man is a
great leader to us. He has an open mind and has been
engaged in exactly what we mean to achieve for many years.
Indeed it was he that first taught me about the multitude
of narratives in Jerusalem and the region – I was once his
student, as were several others in this room. We are
greatly honored that he is participating with us here
today. He is a great supporter of the PUSH project and our
objectives. (Arabic with English translation)
I would sincerely like to respond to all who have spoken
today but I feel that our time is limited therefore I will
just response to the last speakers. I personally don't feel
that we will find a political solution today; we are
working for our children. We should struggle more and more.
We have a peace agreement with Egypt – but it is a cold
peace created by politicians, not people because there is
no sharing, no people-to-people cooperation as PUSH is
striving to create. PUSH is the road to a real peace. Our
cooperation can aid the politicians. One thing can be
emphasized it is that we must keep our unique stories – our
personal stories, as discussed before. What one speaker
said about the exposure to multiple narratives through the
tour guide training course was very moving for me. This is
our role. We need to understand our own stories yes but
also learn and listen. This should be the primary focus in
the future of PUSH. (English with Arabic translation)
Jordanian Site Visit: Supplementary Guide
The visit to Jordan was an opportunity to look at the
shared regional heritage and discuss the commonalities
identified in the PUSH project.
Wednesday, August
20th
– Day
1
GREAT
CITIES
Pella and Jerash:
In the first half of the third century CE, the urbanization
of the Roman East reached its zenith. During this period of
Roman rule, dozens of cities were founded and expanded,
among them Pella, Jerash, Scythopolis (Beit She'an/ Bisan)
and Sabastia. Located on the sites of earlier urban
centres, the cities embodied the collective memories of the
region's peoples. These great cities share similar urban
plans, centring their economic and social lives along the
colonnaded north-south oriented cardo or cardus maximus and
east-west decumanus maximus streets. These cities reached
their pinnacle during the Roman and Byzantine periods, but
remained important to the lives of the surrounding
communities throughout later periods. Accordingly, their
remains are an important part of our region’s shared
heritage.
The great city
of Pella developed during the Roman period atop Hellenistic
foundations. As one of the Decapolis cities located along
the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire, Pella has
numerous features typical of a great Roman city including
an Odeon (theater) built into the curve of a natural
hillside. Pella was also the site of one of Christianity's
earliest communities, and became an important place of
refuge for Christians after the siege and destruction of
Jerusalem in 70 CE. Both Pella and the nearby Decapolis
city of Scythopolis (Beit She'an/ Bisan), were brought to
an abrupt end in the massive Jordan Rift earthquake of 749
CE.
Jerash is known for the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of
Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River.
Jerash is considered one of the most important and best
preserved Roman cities in the Near East. There are a large
number of striking monuments located in Jerash: the
Corinthium column, Hadrian's Arch, a circus/hippodrome, two
immense temples (to Zeus and Artemis), the nearly unique
oval Forum, which is surrounded by a fine colonnade, a long
colonnaded street or cardo, two theatres (the Large South
Theatre and smaller North Theatre), two baths, a scattering
of small temples and an almost complete circuit of city
walls. Most of these monuments were built by donations of
the city's wealthy citizens. From AD 350, a large Christian
community lived in Jerash, and between AD 400-600, more
than thirteen churches were built, many with superb mosaic
floors. A cathedral was built in the fourth century. An
ancient synagogue with detailed mosaics, including the
story of Noah, was found beneath a church.
PROPHETS JUDGES, DISCIPLES AND COMPANIONS
Tel Deir Allah:
Excavations at Tell Deir Alla, indicate that the area was
first settled at the end of the Middle Bronze Age, around
1600 BCE. Several architectural sites such as a sanctuary
complex, treasury, late Bronze Age houses, and the remains
of an Iron Age village were uncovered. One of the most
important discoveries from Deir Alla are clay tablets
inscribed with what are believed to be the first written
records in Jordan. Additionally, cultural artifacts such as
pottery from different periods, vessels, beads and bronze
armor were found. A temple dating back to 1500 BCE was
built at Tell Deir Alla, which is likely the ancient cultic
and market center of the biblical Succoth.
Mosque of the Companion of the Prophet Mohammed:
A large number of shrines of the Prophet Mohammad’s
venerable companions exist in and around the Jordan River
Valley. Deir Allah is home to the tomb of Derar Bin
Al-Azwar, a revered companion of Mohammad.
Bethany Beyond the Jordan Baptism Site:
To Christians, the Jordan River is considered one of the
most holy sites in the region, as it was here that John the
Baptist baptized Jesus. In this tradition, Christian
pilgrims come from all over the world to be baptized in the
Jordan River. On the eastern bank of the Jordan River the
baptism site is known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan, on the
western bank it is known as Kaser el Yehud.
During the 6th-7th centuries CE four churches were built on
the hill at Bethany Beyond the Jordan. The largest of these
Byzantine churches contained a partly preserved mosaic
floor. The second church also contains remains of a mosaic
with small cross motifs, although much more fragmentary
than the first. Finally, the third church seems to have
been built around a natural cave on the western side of the
hill that was used in the days of John the Baptist. Very
little remains from the fourth church other than some floor
patches with cross-decorated colored mosaics. Byzantine
period remains at Bethany Beyond the Jordan demonstrate
great efforts during the period to enhance the productivity
of water by building cisterns, pools, aqueducts, and pipes.
The most significant finding from this area is a Byzantine
monastery that is comprised of churches, baptism and water
storage pools, water systems and chapels. Another Byzantine
Church was built around the cave where John the Baptist is
believed to have lived and performed baptisms. Closer to
the Jordan River are four other Byzantine churches and
large pools with an extensive water system dating back to
the 5th and 6th centuries CE (Jordan Ministry of Tourism
& Antiquities [JMTA], 2003; JTB, n.d.).
Opposite Bethany Beyound the Jordan, the western bank
baptism site, Kaser el Yehud, has been under Israeli
military jurisdiction since 1967 and is largely
inaccessible to the public. Consequently, for the most part
pilgrims in Israel undergo baptism at an alternate location
near the Sea of Galilee.
Both baptism sites and their related tourism efforts suffer
from problems resulting from the quantity and quality of
the water in the Jordan River. Prior to the large-scale
upstream diversions of the water flow since the 1960s,
water flow in the Jordan River measured 1.3 billion cubic
meters of water per annum. Today the water flow is as
little as 100 million cubic meters per annum, a large
percentage of which is sewage and agricultural run off –
the water therefore is a potential health hazard to
pilgrims.
Thursday, August
21st – Day 2
FRONTIERS
Um er-Rasas:
Most of this archaeological site, which started as a Roman
military camp and grew to become a town from the 5th
century, has not been excavated. It contains remains from
the Roman, Byzantine and Early Muslim periods (end of 3rd
to 9th centuries AD) and a fortified Roman military camp.
The site also has 16 churches, some with well-preserved
mosaic floors. Particularly noteworthy is the mosaic floor
of the Church of Saint Stephen with its representation of
towns in the region. Two square towers are probably the
only remains of the practice, well known in this part of
the world, of the stylites (ascetic monks who spent time in
isolation atop a column or tower). Um er-Rasas is
surrounded by, and dotted with, remains of ancient
agricultural cultivation in an arid area. It is here that
the Prophet Muhammad, travelling as a tradesman, met a monk
who convinced him of the virtue of monotheism
(http://whc.unesco.org/).
MOUNTAINS
Mount Nebo/Nevo:
Since the beginning of human
history, mountains and hills have attracted the attention
of individuals and communities the world over. Numerous
peaks became renowned as sacred places both in their own
right or as the backdrop for famous events. In our region
the remains of many ancient mountaintop altars and temples
have been revealed in archaeological excavations and the
mountains and peaks of the Holy Land remain important sites
of pilgrimage for the adherents of the three monotheistic
faiths.
The relative closeness of mountain summits to the heavens,
coupled with the widely held belief that God exists in the
celestial world made these high points ideal for religious
evocation. A selection of mountains in the region, such as
Mount Carmel, Mount Tabor, Mount of Olives, Mount Gerizim
and Mount Nebo, clearly illustrates the extent to which
these mountains have affected the minds and faith of
believers. The Abrahamic traditions describe the mountains
as places where prophets heard God's instructions and
received his Holy Scripture. Moses received the Law on
Mount Sinai; Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of
Olives, as did Mohammad from Mount Moriah, also known as
al-Haram al-Sharif. Mountains also provided a focal point
for commemorating events related to more than one of the
Abrahamic traditions. For example, Mount Carmel is revered
by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike for its association
with the prophet Elijah. In addition to their holiness, the
region's mountains were also strategic vantage points,
valued for their military significance in overlooking major
trade routes and settled territories.
According to the Bible, Moses stood upon Mount Nebo, looked
out over the Jordan River Valley and saw the land of
Israel. Ruins from a 4th century church and monastery built
to commemortate these events feature beautiful mosaic
floors.
MOSAICS
Tel Hesban:
Archelogical excavations in the area of Tel
Hesban sought to examine whether the tel marks the area of
Heshbon refered to in the Bible (Numbers 32:37). Bronze Age
remains were not yet uncovered at the site sheding doubt on
this theory. From the Byzantine era two churches were
discovered, both with impressive mosaic floors.
Madaba Mosaic:
The Madaba Mosaic is the earliest original
map of the Holy Land in any form to have survived from
antiquity. The 6th century mosaic, found in the remains of
a Byzantine church, contains the earliest exact
representation of the holy city Jerusalem. Moreover, unlike
other mosaics of the time, it is a geographical map rather
than a landscape mosaic.
MEDIAEVAL
FORTRESSES
Ajloun (Qala'at al-Rabadh):
From the eleventh to fifteenth century CE,
the ongoing conflict between European Crusaders and various
Muslim dynasties and military leaders led to an
unprecedented intensity of fortress construction throughout
the entire Levant. In their mixture of building styles and
engineering achievements, these extraordinary and
impressive strongholds symbolize the military clashes and
interaction of cultures that took place during this period.
During the Muslim military campaigns against the Crusaders,
many European architectural elements were adopted and
adapted, merging styles, as can be seen in Ajloun or Kalat
Nimrod/ al-Subeiba.
Qala'at al-Rabadh, located in Ajloun, was built between
1184-85 CE by the nephew of Saladin in the campaign against
the Crusaders. The Castle is an excellent example of 12th
century Arab-Islamic military architecture. It also
exhibits an important interchange of human values during
the Mamluk times, in which it was one station in a network
of beacons and pigeon posts transmitting messages from
Baghdad to Cairo.