Umm ar-Rasas: A Glimpse into Jordan’s Past

Located 30 km southeast of Madaba, Umm ar-Rasas, also known as Kastron Mefa’a, is an archaeological site that offers a unique journey through time. The site is situated in the semi-arid steppe region of the Jordanian Desert and has been associated with the biblical settlement of Mephaat mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah. Umm ar-Rasas was initially a Roman military garrison but was later converted and inhabited by Christian and Islamic communities. In 2004, the site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is valued by archaeologists for its extensive ruins dating to the Roman, Byzantine, and early Muslim periods. The jumbled ruins of Umm ar-Rasas are enclosed inside a wall with gates, with more structures spreading outside the walls to the north. Archaeologists have focused their work on the Byzantine churches, of which four inside the walls and 11 outside the walls have been discovered so far. #christmastrip