Jordan Journal for History and Archaeology

The Role of Prince Abdullah I's Visit in Consolidating Jordanian-Turkish Relations 1937 AD

2023-03-06T14:03:51+03:00

The research deals with the visit of the Emir Abdullah to Turkey in 1937 AD, and its role in consolidating the mutual relations between the Emirate of Transjordan and the Turkish Republic at a critical stage in the region’s political history. The study points out the role of the visit in restoring Arab-Turkish relations to the right track by showing the extent of compatibility in the views between the Arab and Turkish nationalities. The importance of the study lies in its reliance on the primary sources that dealt with the Emir Abdullah’s visit to Turkey in 1937, which Arab and Turkish researchers have not addressed in their studies. The study provided valuable information that would assist the Arab library, which lacks this type of scientific studies, with the necessary information about the visit, and it also provides the Turkish library with valuable information derived from Arab primary sources, which deal with the visit and have not been addressed by Turkish researchers before. The study concluded with a set of results, the most important of which were: Showing the position of the Turkish President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who supported the expansion of the Emir Abdullah’s powers by making him king of the Emirate of Transjordan.

(mbqr’/ mbqr) in the Nabataean Sinaitic Inscriptions and the Dead Sea Scrolls

2023-04-02T10:36:06+03:00

This article examines and analyses the word mbqr’ that appears in some Nabataean Sinaitic inscriptions. The word is discussed in its both etymological and idiomatic contexts, based on specialized Semitic dictionaries and published Semitic inscriptions. Special attention is paid to the lexical data of the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Strengths of Old Capitals and the Making of Political Action: Sohar as a Model

2023-05-02T09:49:21+03:00

Moving the capital from one city to another was one of the actions taken by states since ancient times, whether in Oman, or in the Islamic East. Although the transfer of capitals is based on political reasons, states cannot remove the impact and influence of the old capital. Therefore, it remains present in the political and administrative action of the new state. The importance of this study stems from the fact that it explores the various changes that occurred as a result of moving the capital from Sohar after the fall of the first Imamate in Oman in 134 AH / 751 AD. In this context, the discussion is usually directed towards the reasons that led to this transition, but this study will examine the reflection of this decision on Sohar, which remained influential even after the transfer of the capital. The study also explores the efforts exerted by the Omani Imams to take care of this city during the period 177-280 AH/ 794-893 AD). Through the local and general references, the paper critically examines the strengths of this city that made it remain influential despite the transfer of the capital to Nizwa (the elements of power). It will also analyze the care accorded to Sohar by the Imamate which is an indication of its strength and continued influence. The study reached a set of conclusions, the most prominent of which are: the persistence of the city of Sohar as one of the most important and dynamic cities of the Second Ibadi Imamate, even after losing its status as the capital, due to the elements of strength and influence it possessed that enabled it to maintain its local and regional presence. Additionally, most Imams in Oman sought to empower the city through a series of measures and procedures that covered various aspects, starting with the administrative, economic, military, cultural, and urban aspects; Sohar remained the civilizational front of the Second Ibadi Imamate.

Analysis of Some Aspects of Ancient Palmyra Society through Funerary Art in the Roman Period

2024-02-06T10:14:14+03:00

The research sheds light on the importance of funerary art in identifying some details of Palmyra society in the Roman period, due to the important transformations that this period witnessed. It also identifys the intermixture between the local style of funerary art and Roman art that influenced Palmyra’s art at the time. This is achieved by analyzing funerary stelae scenes that have been preserved in local and international museums, and comparing them with their Roman counterparts. One notable result highlights the importance of women in society and the different roles they played, whether housewives or women of society. Palmyra’s artists were eager to depict the deceased’s work by carving some tools indicative of it. Another result elicitates the economic transformations that Palmyra society witnessed beginning in the second century AD, by depicting the Palmyra women and men in full elegance, perhaps to emphasize the prosperity that the Palmyra’s citizens had, due to the city’s increased commercial activity and robust economy. Besides local identitiy, Roman influence appeared in clothes, hairstyles of women and men, along with the use of narrative style to portray the deceased with family members in different dimensions, levels, or alone using the idea of Imagines Clipeatae

The Administration of Morocco during the Era of the Aleamiriuwn Hijabs in Andalusia 367-399 AH/978-1009 AD

2023-05-07T12:16:41+03:00

In the last third of the fourth century AH / tenth century AD, the administrators of al-Mansur ibn Abi ‘Amir officially took control of the reins of power in Andalusia (367-399 AH - 978-1009 AD), and Morocco was of strategic importance to them. Therefore, Morocco was of great importance in their policies, and this in turn cast a shadow on various aspects politically, economically, militarily, and socially on Morocco and Andalusia alike. The stage of control of the administrators of al-Mansur ibn Abi ‘Amir over Andalusia constitutes a dangerous turning point in the history of Andalusia and Morocco alike, especially in their management of Moroccan affairs and its repercussions on them, which was evident after their fall, and was confirmed by the events after that with the great change in the political and social map in Andalusia and Morocco at that time. Accordingly, in this research, we will try to trace the way the administrators of al-Mansur ibn Abi ‘Amir managed Morocco and their policies there, monitor and analyze them, and then their consequences and we conclude the research with a summary of the most prominent findings.

The Endowments of Tahir Musa al-‘Arabi in the Cities of Nablus and Jenin and Their Environs Ramadan 1256 AH / October 1840 AD

2023-06-12T14:31:57+03:00

This study investigates the endowment of Tahir Musa al-‘Arabi in the cities of Nablus and Jenin and their environs that was registerd in the Nablus Sharia Court in Ramadan 1256 AH/ October 1840 AD. The article is divided into four topics. The first topic is a presentation of the life of the endower. The second topic is an examination of the text of the endowment and the conditions that must be met by the endowment. The third topic is an analysis of endowed real estate. The fourth topic is discussion of the conditions set by the endower for his endowment. The researcher follows four approaches; the inductive and historical approaches, which depend on the extrapolation and analysis of the endowment text. The article also relies on the statistical quantitative approach by collecting numerical data and presenting it in tables. The researcher also uses the comparative approach by comparing the endowed real estate and the real estate acquired by the endower that is registered in the records of the Sharia court. The study reached several results: the endowment document and the information it contains is one of the first sources of the historical documentation. It is also a witness to the history of Nablus city that reflects a realistic picture of the public life of the Nabulsi community during the period under study. Family endowments maintain continuity of real estate ownership and contribute to the economic and social development of society.

Fatimid Dinar Dated 364 A.H. Discovered in Qurh Site, Al Ula Governorate, Saudi Arabia

2023-12-26T11:34:46+03:00

In Excavation Season XIV in 2017 at Qurh by the Department of Archaeology, College of Tourism and Archaeology, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, a rare gold dinar was found, minted in Egypt in 364 A.H. (975 A.D.) by Al-Mu‘izz li-Din Allah. The dinar was discovered in square C17, area 3, Qurh (Almabiat) site. It was numbered 27 in the archaeological registry. Square C17 is an architectural extension of the excavation squares C18, C19, C20, D17, D18, D19, and D20. The dinar is the first discovered gold coin in the excavation seasons that began in 2005 at the site. The findings of Qurh are varied in terms of material, manufacturing technology, and provenance. Thus, they include local and imported artifacts. Examining the gold dinar showed a thick layer of dust and calcifications on the surface. The present study tackles the scientific method of examining the gold dinar, diagnosis of deterioration products and causes, stages of restoration and conservation, and analysis of the inscriptions on the reverse and obverse after restoration.

Assessing the Conservation and Management Status in the Archaeological Site of Pella (Tabaqat Fahl) in Jordan

2023-07-25T11:18:00+03:00

The archaeological site of Pella (Tabaqat Fahl) in Jordan is a unique heritage site that represents a rich historical chronology and is listed on UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites under criteria (i), (iii), and (iv). Pella is currently under the administration and management of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA) and the Department of Antiquities (DoA) respectively. This paper assesses the site’s status of conservation and management through investigating the current physical conditions, threats, managerial constraints, and opportunities. The paper explores the annual work carried out in the site over the past 15 years, including foreign missions, as well as the new visitor centre that the MOTA has established in the site recently. In addition, all stakeholders that have cross responsibilities in the site are identified. The results of this research highlight strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities that face the site. It is evident that the site requires efficient conservation and management processes, as Pella has slowly deteriorated over the years, which has left it in a vulnerable and neglected state. Overall, the archaeological site of Pella holds immense opportunities for improvement and strengthening its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) that can aid in inscribing it on the list of World Heritage Sites.

A Short Aramaic Epigraphic Miscellany from Al-A‘ērḍiyyeh—Northwest Arabia Revisited

2024-02-25T12:00:09+03:00

This contribution deals with a short Aramaic graffito discovered on a rock facade at al-A‘ērḍiyyeh within the al-Masmā mountain range, which lies between Taymā’ and Ḥa’il in the north of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The text is transcribed, and its words and names are explained linguistically and etymologically within the framework of the Semitic languages. A glimpse on the introduction of Aramaic into the Ancient North Arabia is presented.