Things to see and do North

The impressive dimensions of the Qasr Mushatta are only found in the Qasr al Tuba, probably built by Al Walid II. This palace, which means "winter" in Arabic, is unfinished, probably because of the murder of Waldi II. Its plan is not organized around a central courtyard, but in three parts. The two unfinished side spaces were designed to house soldiers, servants or courtiers, while the central part housed the Caliph and his family. A mosque, identifiable by its mihrâb, leads to a large courtyard. Four housing units, known as bayt, which can be found in many Umayyad civil buildings, surround the throne room. Although Syrian in plan, they are also reminiscent of Sassanid Iran with their brick vaults, and may have served as the residence of the Caliph's four wives.

South facade.

Mushatta is also known for its rich decoration, especially its southern façade, a large part of which is displayed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. It consists of a band bordered by richly carved moldings and divided by a zigzag, perhaps deriving from Arab folk art motifs, with rosettes and vegetal elements, often animated by animal figures, real (felines, birds) or fantastic (griffins, centaurs...). Animals were already present in the ancient cylinder seals and then abundantly used in Christian art. Other motifs, such as birds, seem to be directly inspired by Coptic Egypt, where some artists came from. They rub shoulders with fantastic creatures: centaurs and sphinxes, which come from the classical culture that bathed the whole Mediterranean world before Islam, the Iranian "dragon-peacock" is linked, under the Sassanids, to astrology, to the Zoroastrian religion and to power. Originally a deity of Central Asia, this animal still often appears on medallions and talismans as a simple figure of prosperity. It was also often represented in the Byzantine world, and sometimes even on Romanesque works.

Some of the scrolls are decorated with beaded circles, reminiscent of Sassanian silks. Often copied by the Byzantines, these textiles were exported to Europe, where they were frequently used to wrap relics. The only human beings depicted are grape pickers as they are represented on some Roman mosaics or in the Qasr Amra. The vine with lions recalls the cult of Dionysus in antiquity and in Coptic Egypt. The pine cones of the rosettes would come from the figurative art of Sassanid Iran.

Housed in the superb Dar es Saraya building, this 18th-century mansion was the residence of the Ottoman governor. After being used as a prison, it was partly converted into an Archaeological Museum. The museum displays objects from the Stone Age to the Ottoman period. Amongst others, there are pieces of pottery, alabaster, glass, sculptures and mosaic floor tiles from the Byzantine period.

The site contains the ruins of Jordan's largest Byzantine church, dating back to the ^6th century. But, as elsewhere in the country, all that remains are the foundations and some beautiful mosaics. These feature magnificent floral and geometric motifs. A staircase leads to an underground cemetery dug into the rock. The ruins of another, smaller church backs onto what used to be a natural waterfall. It was here that the first Christian believers were baptized.

Tell Mar Elias is of great biblical significance, as Elias de Tisbé is mentioned in the Old Testament Book of Kings. Thus, it is commonly believed that the prophet Elias was a native of the region. The Jordan Tourism Board, which seeks to promote the country's biblical sites, is highlighting this site by including it in its "Sacred Land" tour.

For the time being, few tourists come here other than pilgrims on organized tours. If you have the time, Tel Mar Elias is only a short detour from Ajloun and only an hour's drive from Amman. You'll be able to enjoy a site off the beaten track, with a lovely

countryside. When the wind isn't too strong, the picnic tables are very pleasant and the ideal place for a peaceful "lunch on the grass". Marble sculptures and metal religious relics found here can be seen in the small Archaeological Museum at Château d'Ajloun.

The village of Qasr Al-Hallabat is located not far from the highway, at the gateway to the eastern desert. On your way there, you will pass the ruins of an ancient bathhouse, the Hammam as-Sarah, dating from the Umayyad period. The small limestone building has been well restored and the pipes that carried the water to the baths remain largely intact.

Qasr al-Hallabat is an interesting site from a historical point of view, as it provides a better understanding of the transition from Roman antiquity to the Islamic Middle Ages and of the customs of the people of that time. The site was originally occupied by a Roman fortress, built during the reign of Caracalla around 200 A.D. It was intended to protect the Via Nova Trajana, the new Roman road that crossed the province of Arabia from north to south, linking Bostra (in Syria) to Aqaba, which was conquered in 106 A.D. The fort was part of the Limes of Arabia, and was used as a base for the construction of the new road. This fort was part of the Limes Arabicus, the eastern border of the Roman province of Arabia. In the 4th century, probably during the reign of Diocletian, the garrison was enlarged and transformed into a fort with four towers. This was badly damaged by the earthquake of 551 and abandoned. During the Byzantine period, the Ghassanids took over the site and turned it into a monastery. Then the arrival of the Arabs and the foundation of the Umayyad dynasty gave it a new function: a palace. The Umayyads retained the original plan of the building, but added a rectangular mosque to the exterior. Inside, the palace rooms were retained but the monastic outbuildings were transformed into functional warehouses. The decorations evoking the political or religious identity of their Christian predecessors were removed.

The castle visible today is little more than a pile of stones. However, it is possible (with good eyes) to admire some mosaics and frescoes from the period, inside what remains of the old palace rooms. The large mosaic on the floor of room 11 may be reminiscent of the Byzantine tradition, but it is also reminiscent of the lion and gazelles mosaic at Khirbat al-Majfar. The complex iconography of the mosaic, in which a man appears to be guiding an ostrich, may have had a significance that no archaeologist has been able to determine. In the larger of the two courtyards, there is a well coping with geometrically carved arches. The mosque behind the palace was completely restored between 2002 and 2013. Its delicate entrance porch is particularly noteworthy.

The hippodrome is immediately on the left, after passing under Hadrian's Arch. At 245 meters long and 52 meters wide, the racecourse is considered small compared to those of other Roman cities. The long and imposing building along the entrance road to the site of Jerash was used as bleachers. With its 17,000 seats, it could hold the entire population of the city at the height of its development. It was the place of entertainment par excellence, where the gladiatorial combats took place. Spectators came to watch all kinds of performances such as Greco-Roman chariot and horse races or athletic races. The Persian Sassanids even played polo there in the 7th century. It is still used to host performances during the Jerash Festival.

Researchers have not been able to pinpoint the date of construction of the racecourse, but they place it between the 1st and 3rd centuries. During the Byzantine period, the hippodrome was redesigned. A small amphitheatre was built on the north side to host sports jousts, while the southern part was abandoned. Potters settled there and the brick ovens can still be seen. Between the 6th and 8th centuries, the southern part was stripped of its stones, which were used to repair the city walls. The dyers set up their workshops there. Finally, the site was also used as a mass grave during a plague epidemic. The earthquake of 749 rendered the site unusable.

The Archaeology Museum occupies one of the most beautiful houses in the ancient village of Umm Qais, dating from the Ottoman period. It exhibits artifacts found on the site during various excavations. The statue of the goddess Tychee and the mosaic of the underground mausoleum can be admired. The latter contains the names of the deceased owners (Valentinanos, Eustathia and Protogenia). You will also notice an amazing sculpture of a rattlesnake coiled on itself.

This staircase with terraces links the Cardo maximus to the temple of Artemis. It is a propylea, a vestibule leading to a sanctuary. The pilgrims crossed the river by a bridge that led directly to the impressive door with 3 openings. The 4 columns with acanthus leaf capitals were integrated into the colonnade of the Cardo maximus. The monumental staircase is 30 metres wide. One can imagine the strong impression that the ascent to the temple must have given. The propylaeum ended with a portico opening onto the sanctuary.

The ruins of the basilica lie just above the hypogeum. It dates from the second half of the 4th century. Very damaged by the earthquake of 749, there is not much left. We can still guess its huge atrium of 52 meters long. The church was divided into 5 bays oriented from west to east and ended with an apse over the crypt. The entrance was through a hall supported by Ionic columns. Two additional small entrances were pierced in the north and south walls. The basilica was converted into a mosque after the defeat of the Crusaders.

Your visit to Jordan can begin as soon as you leave the airport. The Qasr Al Qastal is located only 7 kilometers from the runways, on the road to Amman. It is one of the most important Umayyad complexes, built as early as the 8th century, and one of the first as well. Unlike many other desert castles, the Qar Al Qastal was not built on the ruins of a Roman fortress. In addition to the palace, it includes a mosque, a cemetery, baths, private dwellings, the remains of a 400-meter long dam and underground cisterns. Its decoration is also influenced by Roman and Sassanid arts. The complex was built by Caliph Yazid ibn 'Abd Al Malik (r. 720-724) and his son Al Walid (r. 743-744). The palace is very similar to other Umayyad palaces in its layout and the many buildings that surround it.

The qasr. This small palace of 68 sq m is built of limestone. Around a porticoed courtyard are groups of six bayt

(self-contained houses), each consisting of a large room framed by two smaller rooms. The walls were originally decorated with colored mosaics, still visible in places. Numerous niches carved in the rock, with plant decorations, have been discovered. They probably come from the audience room on the second floor, and are reminiscent of the decoration of the living room of the Umayyad palace in the citadel of Amman. The salon included a large room with a triple apse.

The mosque. To the north of the qasr

is a mosque that has been rebuilt and restored more than once since the mid-nineteenth century. Only the lower courses of the western and northern walls belong to the original mosque. At the northwestern end stands a minaret, the oldest preserved minaret of the Umayyad era. A shaped cornice supports Corinthian pilasters.

The Baths. About 400 meters north of the qasr is a structure discovered in 2000: the baths, which were part of a similar complex found at Qasr Amra and the hammam Al Sarakh. The mosaics are splendid, representing in particular a ferocious lion leaping on the back of a huge bull which tries to put it down, and a leopard devouring a gazelle. This type of decoration, inherited from the Roman period, can be found in the baths of Khirbat al-Mafjar in Jericho. The vitality of these animal scenes and the subtle gradations of color place these mosaic pavements in the rank of the most beautiful, and show great technical skill

A street ran below the basilica and its huge platform. Cells had been built under it, which were probably shops. There are 17 of them, and some of them still have their facades. Those in which the façade has collapsed reveal vaulted arched cellars. The pillars of the arches were reinforced with cement. The facades and the longitudinal wall were made of black basalt. This shopping street was only uncovered fairly recently, during the 1995 excavations carried out by a Jordanian team.

The ancient city of Gerasa had two thermal complexes. The thermal baths fulfilled an important social function, allowing the exchange of news and the latest gossip while attending musical performances.

The western thermal baths. Below the northern tetrapyle, in the opposite direction of the Decumanus, you will notice some ruined buildings, made of big blocks of stone, and pierced with big arches. This is the old thermal complex of the city of Gerasa, dating from the 2nd century. It included a caldarium (room with hot water basin), a tepidarium (room with warm water basin) and a frigidarium (room with cold water basin). One of the chambers still has its dome on top of the square room. The remains of the hypocaust ovens used to heat the water in the caldarium can also be seen.

The eastern baths. Located outside the walls, behind the mosque facing the southern bridge, these thermal ruins are among the largest and best preserved in the Near East. They were the subject of major excavations between 2016 and 2018, during which fragments of sculptures were found, now on display at the Jerash Archaeological Museum. This huge complex was built in several phases: the first began around 140 with the construction of 7 buildings, including the huge baths with walls that could exceed 11 meters in height. Towards the middle of the 3rd century, the complex was extended to the north with the addition of 13 rooms and an exedra with columns decorated with statues.

A large number of churches were built by the Byzantines. Three quarters of them have still not been uncovered and excavated. Three of these churches are grouped around an atrium in the same area: the Church of St John the Baptist, the Church of Saints Como and Damian, and the Church of St George. They were all built between 529 and 533. They are located in the extension of the church of St. Theodore, west of the cathedral and before the temple of Artemis.

Church of Saints-Come-and-Damien. It is of remarkable interest because of its size and its particularly well preserved mosaics on the floor. These represent animals and human figures, including those probably of Theodore and his wife Giorgia, the guardians of the church. The base of the pillars separating the nave from the aisles is still clearly visible, as well as some columns. The baptistery was added in the 6th century and was shared with the adjacent church.

Church of St. John the Baptist. This is the largest and most recent of the three churches. It is sandwiched between the other two. It retains part of its façade (which faces the colonnade) and its main entrance. Inside, the nave was delimited by four high columns. One can still admire fragments of coloured mosaics with geometrical patterns.

Church of Saint George. Of the three, it is the one that presents the least interest, because it is in very bad condition, and contains no mosaics. It is probably the oldest of the three churches.

Going towards the exit of the city by the Decumanus, we arrive in front of the nymphaeum dating from the 2nd century. It is exactly in front of the large western terrace. This sacred fountain supplied water to the whole city and was decorated with marble statues. Today it is very dilapidated, but it can be seen by its 15-metre long basin. Excavations in 1998 revealed a marble block on which was engraved the name of the nymphaeum's donor, a certain Aurelios Diophantes, who was the city's superintendent of police.

The old village of Umm Qais dates back to the Ottoman Empire and most of the stones used for its construction came from the ancient city. It is built on the Roman Acropolis, the highest and richest part of the city. The village was bombed during the Six Day War and its inhabitants were relocated further away. Today, this ghost village houses the archaeological museum and a visitor centre with craft shops.

Situated in front of the nymphaeum, the thermal baths made a rather late appearance in Gadara, since they date from the IVth century. They covered a surface of 2,400 m². Very damaged shortly after their construction, they were reduced to a more modest size. They included several baths housed in closed and decorated halls. Their use was abandoned around the 7th century, when the city was under water and firewood rationing. The great earthquake of 749 and its successive aftershocks were the reason for the baths.

When one overlooks the ancient city from the village, it is the first building that one sees. Carved in black basalt and able to accommodate 3,000 people, it is not the most imposing of the theaters of the city, but it is the best preserved. The seats in the stands are not all the same: those near the stage and in the last rows have a lower back and are also more comfortable. These seats of honor were reserved for the local aristocracy or distinguished guests during performances and city councils.

Below the museum, you can see the remains of what was once an amphitheatre. It was located at the entrance to the city, along the Decumanus maximus. It takes some imagination to reconstruct the auditorium, its bays, its galleries, its stage that were leaning against the hill. The theatre was built towards the end of the 1st century BC and could accommodate up to 4,000 spectators. The theatre was probably destroyed by successive earthquakes in the region. Its stones were used to build the houses of the village.

At the crossroads of the Decumanus and the Cardo maxiumus, on the left, you will notice an area of ruins corresponding to a residential area. These are Roman administrative buildings that were rehabilitated into residential houses during the Umayyad period, from 600 onwards. Their influence in Gerasa was only minor and they built only one mosque. To the west of the city, the 'House of the Blue' was a splendid house from the Byzantine-Umayyad period, the visible remains of which date mainly from the Arab period.

Before passing through the entrance on the south side of the site, you can see the importance of the surrounding wall which served as a rampart against attacks from invaders. It was probably during the reign of the Roman Emperor Commodus (180-192) that the seven gates were ordered to be built. It seems that the wall was transformed and improved by his successors for military purposes.

Following the path that winds along the ruins, you can see a barracks on your left. It is believed to date from Roman times and has the distinction of having a six-storey tower (added in the Byzantine period), surrounded by housing on its sides. The tower has four rectangular openings at the top, each representing an archangel: Gabriel, Michael, Raphael and Uriel. The three-aisled chapel to the east of the barracks dates from the Byzantine period (6th century).

To the left, near the southwest gate, are the ruins of a residential area. The houses are built in all directions. Further on, on the left, you can see a temple, near a cistern. At the beginning of the excavations, archaeologists had identified this large building as being the heritage of the Nabataeans. Views have differed, and it appears to be a temple from the Roman occupation.

A few dozen meters to the north, one can distinguish a vast building with two wings: the praetorium, or Roman headquarters. Enlarged by the Byzantines, it has three entrance doors and, if you go through the one on the left, you will find a small atrium with four columns. The building also contained rooms and a terrace, which unfortunately are no longer visible.

A little further north, one of the most massive monuments in the whole city stands out: the cathedral, built in the 6th century and now in ruins. It was so named because it was much larger than the other churches in the city. Further on are the four arches of what was once a church. Beautiful Byzantine crosses are still visible.

As you go down towards the south-east, behind the cathedral, you will notice some houses, and then a fairly well-preserved reservoir, fed by an aqueduct that carried the rainwater collected in the wadi outside the city. On the other hand, not much remains of the two churches of Claudianos and Julianos (south of the reservoir). It is important to note that one of them had the oldest oratory in the city (345).

North of the village of Ruwaished, the oasis of Burqu appears like a mirage in the middle of the desert. The landscape is revealed in all its splendor at the end of a generous rainy season, when the waters of the lake come to lick the foot of the tower. It is best to hire a guide to get there, as the Iraqi border is very close and the tracks are not marked. The site is worth a visit, but you need to be very motivated: it is too far away to be included in a one-day itinerary on the Desert Castles Route. You will need to bring a tent to stay there.

The oasis is home to many migratory birds that pass through the area, and more and more birders are visiting. A reserve project has been under consideration for many years. The lake is not a natural oasis; it was formed after the Romans built a dam in the third century when they had just built yet another fortress on their eastern defense line. It served to protect the caravan route and the oasis of Burqu, where merchants and their mounts stopped. The place continued to be inhabited, especially during the Byzantine period, when a church was built and inscriptions were left. Rooms were added by the Umayyads under the Emirate of Walid I (705-715). This was one of the first castles to be remodeled by the Umayyads, of which only a part of the tower and the foundations remain visible today.

This 30 km2 reserve was created in 2012 in the Yarmouk River valley, at the crossroads of the Jordanian, Syrian and Israeli borders. For the time being, no ecotourism project is under consideration. Nature, unperturbed in this area long disputed by the three nations, has regained its rights. Ecosystems have developed and the fauna and flora are intact. Besides otters and gazelles, the area is also very important for migratory birds

The church of Marianos was built by the bishop of the same name in 570. It is the only church to be found to the south of the ancient city, while this part of the city remained undeveloped. It is also the first one that you will meet once you pass the Arch of Hadrian. Its small size testifies to the decline of the city at that time. The church was probably built by "borrowing" stones from the hippodrome which is just opposite. It still has a very beautiful mosaic floor, although very simple, which again seems to indicate limited means.

The northern gate, also known as the Arch of Trajan, marked the entrance to the city. It was built in 115 on the orders of the governor Claudius Severus in order to welcome travellers on the newly constructed Trajanic road from Gerasa to Pella. The arch is more than 20 metres high and is punctuated by vaulted niches framed by Corinthian half-columns. The street was paved and lined with columns, giving the place a certain majesty. Few visitors venture here, as this section of the Cardo maximus is never more than a dead end.

It is difficult to reach this castle, the most isolated of the desert qasr. It is located on the border between the governorates of Amman and Ma'an, 85 kilometers south of Azraq. Built in 743 by Caliph Walid II for his sons, it is the southernmost Umayyad castle. Despite its impressive dimensions, the work is unfinished. As with the Qasr Mushatta, the assassination of Walid II aborted the completion of the construction work. Originally, the project included two monumental wings with semi-circular towers projected on the facades. Only the west wing seems to have been completed. The castle may have served as a hunting lodge for the sons of Walid II and certainly as a caravanserai for Bedouins transiting from Saudi Arabia to western Iraq or Syria. Like all desert castles, Qasr al-Tuba is located near a water source. A dry wadi lies nearby, and a dam and wells have been discovered at the site.

The western wing of 140 meters by 72 meters is divided into two squares connected by a narrow corridor, which could be closed in case of need. Access to each of the living areas was through a majestic door. One of these was found and is now on display at the Citadel Archaeological Museum in Amman. The building has a vaulted roof. The whole structure is covered with clay bricks, which provided good protection from the sun and heat, but which are not found on any other qasr.

As you enter the city, just past the southern gate, you can see massive walls on the right, probably parts of a wall built in the early 4th century by the Emperor Diocletian to extend the original rampart. The wall, which surrounded part of the city, was 4.5 km long, but had openings in several places, notably in the extension of the Decumanus or opposite the propylaeum of the Temple of Artemis. The present ruins date mostly from the Byzantine period in the 6th century.

The main artery of the city, running west to east, offers a splendid view of Israel, the Jordan Valley and Syria, with the Golan Heights and Lake Tiberias in the background. The fortifications that once marked out the city can still be seen below. At the end of the Decumanus is the West Gate, a triumphal arch, and the remains of what may have been a racecourse. As you approach the baths, you pass the mausoleum and the basilica, then the remains of a Roman temple probably dedicated to Jupiter.

The museum is housed in one of the campus buildings and is unique in being the only natural history museum in Jordan. Opened in 1981, its collection of stuffed animals, naturalized insects, fossils and plants is mainly aimed at students majoring in biology or the study of Jordanian flora and fauna. The museum is open to the public. It includes specimens of extinct animals.

These two aediculae formed by four arches supported by four pillars mark the crossroads of the Cardo with the Decumanus (perpendicular streets oriented east-west). Built in the 2nd century, the southern tetrapyle seems to have been surmounted by a pyramid and a statue, but only the bases remain. This crossing was redesigned at the end of the 3rd century to form a circular square lined with shops. The northern one was dedicated to Julia Domna, the Syrian wife of Emperor Septimius Severus (193-211). It consisted of four arches topped by a domed roof.

This bridge connected the centre of the city of Gerasa to the eastern baths, located behind the mosque. The bridge was built on the axis of the South Decumanus (the artery that ran through the city from east to west), 74 metres long, and spanned the Chrysorhoas River, now renamed Wadi Jerash. The bridge that can be admired today is a reconstruction of the old one, although some parts of the original remain, including some beautiful arches. Part of the original bridge is covered by the construction of the new city.

The site of the ancient city is punctuated with grated wells leading to underground tunnels. It is an aqueduct of 160 km which was used to supply the city of Gadara with water, of which 94 km are underground. It is the longest aqueduct ever discovered in the Roman Empire, which connected Mount Hermont to Gadara via Abila. Recently, archaeologists have discovered that some of these tunnels were also used to defend the city from possible invaders, allowing the supply of food or the escape in case of siege

This museum should not be confused with the Visitors' Centre. It can be reached by a path that starts from the Oval Square, or another that starts opposite the Macellum. Unfortunately, the most significant remains have been transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Amman. One will find there nevertheless a beautiful collection of objects discovered since more than 70 years in Jerash: potteries, coins, statues, mosaics, jewels and even theatre tickets... in terra cotta. Statues recovered from the Roman baths were added to the collection in 2018.

On the road to As-Safawi is this small fort with walls of large black basalt blocks. Located at the top of a hill, it can be spotted from afar and is only accessible by a 4x4 off-road trip. Qasr Aseikhin offers little to see, except a breathtaking view of the surrounding desert plains. No inscriptions have been found on the site, which makes it even more difficult for historians, who nevertheless agree that the fortress was built by the Nabataeans in the first century and then rebuilt by the Romans in the third century, who used it to protect the eastern border of the Empire. The site was later occupied by the Umayyads. But no dating can be established with certainty and archaeologists have not yet taken any real interest in this castle. The problem of bringing fresh water to the site probably explains why this fort did not enjoy the splendor of other castles. The remains of a mosque can still be clearly seen along the eastern wall of the fort. It was accessed through two independent entrances located to the north and east. The foundations of the minaret are also visible. It seems that the mosque has been rebuilt. The large number of stones scattered on the ground suggests that the castle was excavated by looters. Indelicate, they would have even used bulldozers to facilitate their research. Did they find any treasure? History does not say so...

The Romans built this small fort lost in the sands and rocks to ensure their control over the area. Its geographical situation allowed the legions that followed to benefit from a view of the valley, and thus to anticipate possible opposing attacks. Its construction lasted less than a year, and its asymmetrical plan, with its angled entrance, is quite particular. In the^5th century, it was abandoned because of famine. If the whole is rather ruined, there remain inscriptions left by the Romans.

For the more religious, a pilgrimage is required to Anjara, in the hills of Gilead. It is in one of these caves that Jesus, his disciples and his mother Mary are said to have stayed during their journey between Lake Tiberias, the cities of Decapolis and Bethany. The place is recognized as a holy place by pilgrims. A church and a monastery were built there: Our Lady of the Mountains. The small church is covered with very colourful frescoes telling the most famous passages of the Bible, such as the Last Supper or the sacrifice of Abraham.

There are beautiful mosaics, sculptures, pottery, some of the 9,000-year-old statuettes discovered at Ain Ghazal. The objects are presented in chronological order and the explanations in English are detailed. The second level deals with particular aspects of the history of technology, rural life and folklore. The museum also has a gallery devoted to numismatics. This small museum is considered one of the best in the country.

Under the octagonal basilica, at the foot of the theatre, an underground mausoleum dating back to the Roman occupation of Gadara was discovered by chance by the Jordanian army during the Six-Day War. It was used as a field hospital during the fighting. German archaeologists undertook excavations there in 1998 and unearthed a mosaic on display in the museum. They also found tombs guarded by sphinxes. A massive revolving slab separated the entrance from the burial chamber where eight sarcophagi were found.

Although organizations like the Abila Archaeological Project organize archaeological excavations, there is little to see today. This is due to the few buildings that have been uncovered so far by the archaeological team and the lack of explanations. The enthusiasts will appreciate all the same the visit, the others can pass their way. Around the spring of Ain Quwayliba, excavations have uncovered elements of a theater, an aqueduct, a road, tombs, gates, and other elements of the Greco-Roman city, such as temples dedicated to Athena, Herakles and Tyche, a nymphaeum as well as the remains of a Byzantine basilica and even a mosque. The remains of tombs dug into the rock, some of which are decorated with beautiful frescoes, are worth noting. Houses dating back to the Neolithic period have also been discovered, attesting to a very ancient occupation of the site. It can therefore be deduced that Raphana/Abila was occupied from 4000 BC until the Arab conquest. Contemporary historical and military accounts from the Roman period mention the capture of the city by General Pompey in 63. It gained its independence and continued to develop under Byzantine rule. Like many Roman cities, it was later abandoned, either by the Persian invasions or by the earthquake of 633. The Umayyads settled there briefly until the earthquake of 749. Abila continues to keep its secrets, as the city has not yet been excavated.