24 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeologists Find One of the Long-Lost Holy Cities in Jordan

A remarkable archaeological discovery in Jordan has brought one of the Holy Land’s long-lost cities back to light.

Researchers now believe they have uncovered the ancient Byzantine-era city of Tharais, a site once marked on the famed Madaba Mosaic Map, but lost for centuries. This breakthrough offers a new lens into the region’s Christian past and its socio-economic importance in late antiquity.

The findings were published in May 2025 in the academic journal Gephyra by Dr. Musallam R. Al-Rawahneh, Associate Professor of Archaeology at Mu’tah University in Jordan. The discovery is the result of a three-year fieldwork project that began in 2021 and focused on the southeastern region of the Dead Sea, near the village of El-ʿIrāq, in an area known as Ain Al-Qala’a.

A Discovery Rooted in Ancient Maps

Central to this discovery was the Madaba Mosaic Map, a sixth-century Byzantine floor mosaic located in the Church of Saint George in Madaba, Jordan. The map is considered the oldest surviving geographic depiction of the Holy Land, marking over 150 ancient locations. One of those sites, Tharais, has intrigued historians for decades—until now.

Guided by this map and supplemented by satellite imagery and ground surveys, Al-Rawahneh’s team uncovered architectural ruins, pottery shards, glassware, and stone tools. The most significant feature was the remains of a basilica-style Christian church, complete with fragments of mosaic floors and an entranceway consistent with Byzantine ecclesiastical design.

“These architectural elements strongly suggest that Tharais was not just a settlement, but a religious and commercial hub during the Byzantine period,” said Al-Rawahneh.

 The discovery of the olive oil press (pictured above) was among the most remarkable findings of the excavation. Credit: Musallam R. Al-Rawahneh
The discovery of the olive oil press (pictured above) was among the most remarkable findings of the excavation. Credit: Musallam R. Al-Rawahneh

Echoes of a Flourishing Christian Community

The site revealed more than just walls and mosaics. Researchers discovered olive oil presses, a grape press, and remains of a mill, indicating the city had a thriving economy in addition to its religious significance.

Most compelling were the funerary inscriptions in Greek and Latin, etched into tombstones scattered throughout the area. These inscriptions featured Christian symbols and phrases, painting a picture of a well-established Christian society deeply integrated into both the spiritual and economic fabric of the region.

“The inscriptions follow typical formulas of Byzantine Christian burials,” Al-Rawahneh noted, “and show that Tharais was home to an organized, practicing Christian community.”

Why Was Tharais Lost?

Although once strategically located along key trade routes to the southeastern Dead Sea region, Tharais was likely abandoned by the 7th century A.D. Several factors could have contributed to its decline, including earthquakes, shifts in trade routes, and the transition from Byzantine to Islamic rule. These historical changes disrupted many settlements in the region during that period.

Looking Ahead: Preserving Jordan’s Cultural Heritage

While the identification of Tharais marks a major success, Al-Rawahneh stresses that this is only the beginning. Additional excavations and regional surveys are planned to further understand the city’s role in Byzantine Jordan.

The site was likely abandoned by the 7th century A.D., possibly due to shifting trade routes, environmental changes, or political transitions. Credit: Musallam R. Al-Rawahneh
The site was likely abandoned by the 7th century A.D., possibly due to shifting trade routes, environmental changes, or political transitions. Credit: Musallam R. Al-Rawahneh

Moreover, researchers are calling for action to protect the site from encroaching urban development. “Our aim is not just to uncover Tharais,” said Al-Rawahneh, “but to advocate for the preservation of Jordan’s rich cultural heritage.”

A Window into the Past

The rediscovery of Tharais is more than an archaeological milestone. It provides a tangible link to the early Christian world and the complex historical layers of the Middle East. As researchers continue to explore the site, Tharais promises to shed further light on the intersection of faith, commerce, and daily life in the ancient Holy Land.

This finding confirms what historians long suspected but had never verified: Tharais was real, vibrant, and deeply woven into the religious and economic fabric of its time. Thanks to modern archaeology and ancient cartography, yet another piece of the Holy Land’s rich puzzle is finally falling into place.

Al-Rawahneh, M. R. (2025). Identification Tharais: Rediscovering a Byzantine archaeological site on the Madaba Mosaic Map. Gephyra, 29, 189–203. https://doi.org/10.37095/gephyra.1556742

Cover Image Credit: Archaeologists uncovered a section of the church’s main entrance frame (left) along with a preserved portion of its front façade (right), providing key architectural clues to the site’s Byzantine origins. Credit: Musallam R. Al-Rawahneh

Related Articles

Alone Against Time: The 3,000-Year-Old Last Hittite Monument of Western Anatolia Awaits Rescue

8 July 2025

8 July 2025

Carved into the cliffs of western Anatolia over three thousand years ago, the Karabel Rock Monument is the last surviving...

Hungary’s Hill of Hoards: 3,000-Year-Old Metal Finds Illuminate the Bronze and Iron Age Transition

5 May 2025

5 May 2025

A treasure trove of ancient metal artifacts, dating back over 3,000 years, has been unearthed at Somló Hill in western...

A Roman tomb where magical nails were used to fend off the ‘restless dead’ has been discovered in Türkiye

15 March 2023

15 March 2023

In the ancient city of Sagalassos in southwestern Türkiye, archaeologists have identified an unusual burial practice from the early Roman...

Egypt dig unearths 41 mln-year-old Whale in desert -Tutcetus rayanensis-

12 August 2023

12 August 2023

Paleontologists in Egypt announced the discovery of a new species of extinct whale that inhabited the sea covering present-day Egypt...

A Fig Dating Back Over 2,000 Years has been Discovered in North Dublin – A First of Its Kind for Ireland

28 November 2024

28 November 2024

The discovery of a fig dating back 2,000 years during an archaeological excavation of Drumanagh in north Dublin, has been...

Thousands of Ancient Tombs Discovered in Xian

23 February 2021

23 February 2021

According to the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeological Institute, more than 4,600 ancient cultural remains were discovered during the expansion project of...

Royal Shipwreck From 17th century Is discovered Off the Coast of England

11 June 2022

11 June 2022

Off the coast of England, a royal shipwreck has been unearthed. The Gloucester, one of the most renowned ships of...

Hidden Inscriptions Discovered on Paris’ Luxor Obelisk

1 May 2025

1 May 2025

Nearly two centuries after its prominent placement in Paris’ Place de la Concorde, the 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk continues to yield...

A Medieval Barbican and a Network of Passages Uncovered in Western Slovakia’s town of Trenčín

5 December 2024

5 December 2024

A medieval barbican (fortified outpost or fortified gateway), and a network of passages that acted as a sewerage system have...

Lost sketches by Leonardo Da Vinci show that he understood gravity long before Newton

19 February 2023

19 February 2023

Leonardo da Vinci’s centuries-old sketches show that he may have understood key aspects of gravity long before Galileo, Newton, and...

Archaeologists have discovered 85 ancient tombs, a watchtower, and a temple site in Egypt’s Gabal al-Haridi region

5 May 2022

5 May 2022

The Egyptian archaeological mission discovered 85 tombs, a watchtower, and a temple site in the Gabal al-Haridi area of Sohag,...

A rare bronze talismanic healing bowl was discovered in Hasankeyf excavations

3 December 2023

3 December 2023

During the ongoing excavations in the Hasankeyf mound in Batman, one of the oldest settlements in the world, an 800-year-old...

Roman road network spanning the South West of England identified in new research

7 August 2023

7 August 2023

A Roman road network spanning across Devon and Cornwall has been discovered by the University of Exeter archaeologists. A Roman...

Archaeologists have unearthed a stone chest containing the ritual deposit of 15 anthropomorphic figurines

1 September 2023

1 September 2023

Archaeologists have unearthed a stone chest containing the ritual deposit of 15 anthropomorphic figurines that were placed as votive offerings...

Archaeologists have unearthed two early Aksumite Churches in Africa

11 December 2022

11 December 2022

New discoveries in the port city of Adulis on Eritrea’s Red Sea coast show that two ancient churches discovered more...