A Byzantine Chapel in the Yājūz Region of Amman, Jordan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797//SAAC.29.2025.29.03Keywords:
Byzantine chapel architecture, ecclesiastical archaeology in Jordan, Yājūz site excavation, Late Antique Christianity, rescue excavations in the Levant, Umayyad reuse of sacred spacesAbstract
In autumn 2017, the Department of Antiquities undertook a rescue excavation in Areas A and D, located at the northern periphery of the Yājūz district within the Shafā Badrān region, north of Amman. The excavation aimed to elucidate the nature of architectural remains partially exposed above the surface, with the objective of characterising the site and its settlement dynamics. Special emphasis was placed on an ecclesiastical monument discovered during the fieldwork. The study entailed a detailed analysis of the chapel’s architectural plan, the surrounding residential structures, their architectural elements and associated material culture. Comparative assessments were conducted with analogous chapels within Yājūz, focusing on similarities in spatial organisation, construction materials and mosaic decoration. These results were situated within the broader historical context of Christian communities in the region during the Byzantine era and the subsequent transition to Islamic governance. Chronological attribution of the chapel’s construction was inferred from its architectural features and material assemblages, with ceramic typology and architectural parallels collectively indicating a sixth-century CE date.
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