Name of Monument:

Jerash

Other name of the Monument:

Gerasa

Location:

Jerash Governorate, Jordan

Responsible Institution:

Department of Antiquities

 About Department of Antiquities, Jerash Governorate

Date of Monument:

Prehistoric times- present; discovered in 1806

History:

Jerash has a long occupational history that starts in prehistoric times and goes through various historical periods until the present. During the Greco-Roman period, Jerash was a prominent member of the Decapolis. It was part of the Islamic Empire starting from the 7th century AD. The small village of Jerash was identified by Ceetzen as the Decapolis town of Gerasa by Ulrich Jasper Ceetzen in his journey from Damascus to Jerusalem in 1806.

Description:

Jerash is probably the most famous heritage town in Jordan after Petra. It is one of the best preserved Greco-Roman provincial towns from the Roman/Byzantine period. The western part of the town was completely preserved and protected. It shows a city planned with fortification walls, gates, paved and colonnaded streets, temples, theatres, the hippodrome and many churches with mosaic floors.

Citation of this web page:

Mohammad Najjar "Jerash" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;AWE;jo;1;en;N

Prepared by: Mohammad Najjar
Copyedited by: Daniel de la VegaDaniel de la Vega

Daniel de la Vega is a copy editor based in Portland, Oregon. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in linguistics from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 2014 and has since done editing and localization work on everything from college applications to magazines to video game dialogue.

MWNF Working Number: JO 001