Director General of the Department of Antiquities, Dr. Fawzi Abudanh, confirmed that excavation activities appearing in areas such as Wadi Al-Seer and Al-Qweismeh are mostly routine operations. He noted that the department receives almost weekly reports regarding rocky cavities, erosion, and archaeological sites in a country rich with tens of thousands of heritage locations.
اضافة اعلان
Speaking during radio statements on Tuesday, Abudanh clarified that the cave discussed in online reports in Wadi Al-Seer contains no gold. He explained that its cavity is a natural geological feature known to specialists for hundreds of years, warning the public against the misconception that every underground void or opening conceals hidden treasures.
He added that videos circulating about digging activities in Bayader Wadi Al-Seer under the pretense of searching for gold hoards reflect the phenomenon of "treasure hunting" (Al-Buhayshah) and illegal, random digging. He emphasized that such behavior constitutes an assault on heritage sites and leads to the irreversible loss of valuable scientific and historical data.
Abudanh pointed out that Jordan encompasses thousands of undiscovered or insufficiently studied archaeological sites, noting that heritage layers remain hidden across various regions of the Kingdom, shaped by thousands of years of human interaction with the land.
Furthermore, Abudanh warned of the severe consequences of damaging archaeological sites, highlighting that the law imposes strict penalties for illegal excavation and searching, which can include imprisonment from one to three years and fines up to 3,000 JOD.
He stressed that "antiquities are the true gold," and that tampering with them not only leads to the loss of physical artifacts, but also destroys parts of Jordan's history, identity, and deep cultural heritage.
Concluding his statement, Abudanh noted that the idea of establishing a comprehensive museum to showcase all of Jordan's antiquities—similar to projects in neighboring countries—will be studied. He also reassured that the Citadel cable car (teleferik) project will not impact archaeological sites, as its location was carefully surveyed to confirm the absence of buried artifacts.
