In response to the vision of His Royal Highness Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Crown Prince, the Ministry of Culture has launched the project “The Jordanian Narrative: Jordan – Land and People,” which aims to document the history of the land of Jordan and the people who lived on it along a chronological timeline extending more than 2.5 million years, culminating in the establishment of the modern Jordanian state, within a reliable scientific and academic framework.
اضافة اعلان
The project is based on findings from specialized archaeological missions that have proven early human activity on Jordanian soil. Surveys and excavations conducted in the Al-Sukhna area in northern Jordan uncovered flint tools dating back approximately 2.5 million years. These findings were dated using basalt geological layers and modern laboratory techniques, providing scientific evidence that Jordan is among the oldest regions of human settlement in the world.
The launch of the Jordanian Narrative responds to a national and knowledge-based need to present a comprehensive and interconnected account of Jordan’s history, بعيدًا عن الطرح المجتزأ أو الاختزالي، reflecting the depth of the civilizational experience on this land. It affirms that Jordan is not merely the product of a modern political phase, but rather the outcome of continuous human and civilizational accumulation throughout the ages.
The Jordanian Narrative covers the various historical periods witnessed by the land of Jordan, beginning with the Stone Ages; passing through ancient kingdoms such as Ammon, Moab, and Edom; the Nabataean era with Petra as a regional commercial hub; the Roman and Byzantine periods; the Islamic conquest and the Umayyad era; and continuing through the Ottoman period to the formation of the Emirate of Transjordan and the modern Jordanian state. The narrative also highlights Jordan’s geographic role as a vital link between the civilizations of East and West.
The Ministry of Culture oversees the implementation of the project through an organizational structure that includes specialized scientific committees in archaeology, history, geography, and geology. These committees operate under a rigorous scientific methodology based on archaeological excavation results, reliable historical sources, and carefully verified oral histories, ensuring accuracy and objectivity in the final content.
Those overseeing the project were keen to present the narrative in clear and accessible language that maintains scientific precision without complexity, aiming to bring history closer to all segments of society and transform it from static knowledge into a vivid, engaging experience. The outputs of the narrative will also be utilized in producing media, cultural, and documentary works using modern technologies and multimedia tools.
The Jordanian Narrative will be made available to the public through a dedicated interactive digital platform, allowing Jordanians to participate in documenting stories and experiences from local history and heritage. In addition, national dialogues and knowledge-based events will be organized across the Kingdom’s governorates, ensuring broad community participation, particularly among youth.
The project aims to serve as an officially recognized national reference for researchers, educational institutions, and media organizations, and as a source for strengthening awareness of national identity, reinforcing a sense of belonging, and presenting an accurate and credible image of Jordan and its history to the world—thereby enhancing its cultural and civilizational standing at both regional and international levels.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the platform “Stories from Jordan” (www.jordanianstories.jo
) will be launched in cooperation with the Royal Hashemite Court’s Jordanian Royal Heritage Administration, to further encourage Jordanians to contribute to documenting and enriching the Jordanian Narrative by sharing stories and experiences from Jordanian history and heritage.
