Amman - Along the road leading to the Um Al-Walid area in the Jiza district, south of the capital Amman, the features of an archaeological site come into view. It preserves architectural and historical remains from different eras, most notably the Umayyad period. Palaces, archaeological structures and water installations spread across the area reflect the nature of life, stability and urban development there, and confirm a historical value that deserves more attention, protection and tourism promotion.
اضافة اعلان
Um Al-Walid has a diverse historical heritage that makes it worth a place on the map of cultural and archaeological tourism in the Kingdom. Its landmarks are not limited to Umayyad palaces. They also include water structures, buildings and caves that reveal successive historical and civilisational periods in the area.
According to a circulating account, the name Um Al-Walid goes back to Walladah bint Al-Abbas, mother of the Umayyad caliph Al-Walid bin Abdul Malik bin Marwan, who reportedly lived in the seat of government during the reign of Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan. The account is tied to the area's history and name, but it needs historical documentation to settle its details.
Jordanian archaeologist Dr. Zeidan Kafafi, former president of Yarmouk University, addressed the history of Um Al-Walid and its archaeological landmarks in his book Reflections on Archaeology and Ancient History. He highlighted its Umayyad palaces, its archaeological mosque and the water structures revealed by excavation work, and the importance of these remains for understanding the history of settlement and development in the area.
Um Al-Walid contains three Umayyad palaces: the Middle, Eastern and Western palaces. The main palace is the most prominent architecturally. It is square, with sides about 70.5 metres long, and its outer wall is supported by 15 semicircular buttresses. At its centre is a courtyard surrounded by five units containing 23 rooms, in a design that reflects the architecture prevalent in the Umayyad era.
About 600 metres east of the palace stands an archaeological mosque that forms part of the site's architectural scene. It has two entrances, one to the east leading to a rectangular courtyard, and another on the north side. Its roof rests on four columns, arches and wooden supports, reflecting an aspect of mosque planning in that period.
Excavation work at the site has uncovered a range of objects that offer a picture of daily life and the use of palace facilities. A Swiss mission visited the area in 1988 and found bronze vessels, including jugs, plates and censers, some decorated and covered, along with clay jars bearing dark brown lines. Some of these pieces were restored in laboratories in Geneva. The finds indicate that the palace was in use during the 8th and 9th centuries AD.
Also notable is a decorated stone threshold found in a passage northwest of the palace, depicting a lion chasing a gazelle. It was discovered in two pieces before being restored, and it is a fine example of the artistic decoration that accompanied architecture in that period.
Um Al-Walid's importance does not stop at the palaces and the mosque. The area also contains water structures, including the Qanatir Dam and the Western Arabeenbeh Dam, both evidence of methods for collecting water and using it for agriculture and meeting residents' needs. They reflect the importance of managing water resources in areas that enjoyed urban and agricultural stability.
In Al-Hayshan alley, the remains of buildings and caves are visible. They are believed to have served service and commercial activities, and as resting places, during the Roman period. Coins from different historical periods have also been found in the area, adding another dimension to the archaeological scene and pointing to the continuity of human activity there across successive stages.
Al-Hayri Castle also stands out as a landmark that attracts interest, given the varied views on its historical origins. Possible links to the Nabataean or Moabite periods have been proposed, while the towers still standing suggest it may have been used for observation and defence. These details need further archaeological study to determine the site's nature and function more precisely.
Residents of Um Al-Walid believe the archaeological and historical landmarks in their area deserve greater attention from the relevant bodies. They stress the need for a clear plan to protect, maintain and publicise these landmarks, rather than leaving them as historical remains outside tourism programmes. They call for installing signposts, improving roads and paths to the sites, including Um Al-Walid in approved tourist routes, and providing basic services that encourage visitors.
Mohammad Al-Dahamesheh, a resident of Um Al-Walid, stressed the need to give the archaeological site greater attention from the competent authorities and to promote it for tourism and preserve its heritage. He said the area holds multiple civilisational remains that left their mark on its palaces and archaeological structures, and that this diversity deserves to be introduced through maintenance and restoration work, signposts, and better access to the landmarks.
For his part, Faisal Ali, who visits Um Al-Walid regularly because of family ties to the area, stressed the importance of protecting, rehabilitating and promoting the archaeological landmarks for tourism. He noted that the absence of signposts, weak promotion and the lack of rehabilitation at some sites limit visitors' access and their familiarity with the landmarks. He also called for including Um Al-Walid in tourism plans and programmes and providing the services needed to make the most of its historical and archaeological assets.
The relevant bodies, led by those responsible for antiquities and tourism, need to draw up a work programme. It should include inventorying and documenting the landmarks, setting priorities for maintenance and restoration, securing the sites and protecting them from encroachment, installing informational and directional signs, improving access roads, and preparing promotional material that explains their history and importance.
Um Al-Walid has the qualities to become a stop on the tourist and archaeological routes in the Capital Governorate and surrounding areas. Its proximity to the airport road and to the site of Umm Al-Rasas would make it possible to link it with other sites within visit programmes.
Protecting Um Al-Walid's heritage is not limited to maintaining old buildings or preserving ruins. It requires an integrated vision that turns these remains into cultural, tourism and economic value, and gives the area's people a chance to take part in introducing its history and benefiting from its assets. With its palaces, mosque and archaeological water structures, the site deserves to move beyond limited knowledge and take an active place on the national tourism map.
Source: Al-Ghad. Reporting by: Ahmad Al-Shawabkeh
