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All Jordan

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Jordan

23 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Jordan

Updated October 7, 2022

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Cities

These fingers obviously belong to Hercules
Amman
Wadi Mujib.
Areedh Sub District
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Unusual Attractions in Jordan

El Deir ("The Monastery"), Petra.

Jordan

Petra

An ancient capital city that dates back 3,000 years old and harbors many surprises.
Little Petra, Jordan.

Petra District, Jordan

Little Petra

A more chill but no less fascinating version of the famous ancient archeological site.
The Oval Forum in Jerash, and the Cardo Maximus

Jerash, Jordan

The Ruins of Jerash

Gladiators battle and chariots race daily in the ruins of a once-great Roman city.
These fingers obviously belong to Hercules

Amman, Jordan

Hand of Hercules

The most gigantic, swoony, intimidating trio of fingers in all of antiquity.
Wadi Mujib.

Areedh Sub-District, Jordan

River Canyons of Jordan

Concentrated around the Dead Sea, these surprising canyons are filled with coursing water, fish, and even crabs.
Madaba Mosaic Map

Madaba, Jordan

Madaba Mosaic Map

The world's oldest map of the holy land gives us a fragmented glimpse of the layout of biblical nations.

Wadi Rum Village, Jordan

Wadi Rum

Known as the "Valley of the Moon," this Jordanian wadi is one of the most amazing desertscapes on Earth.
The Roman theater seen from Amman Citadel.

Amman, Jordan

Roman Theater of Amman

This exceptionally well-preserved ancient marvel also houses a small museum dedicated to Jordanian folk tradition.
See All 23 Things To Do in Jordan
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Ancient Ruins and Legendary Landmarks of Jordan

Explore Mesmerizing Jordan: From Petra to Greco-Roman Ruins.

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Explore Jordan

Ancient 9
Ruins 8
Archaeology 7
Deserts 5
Roman 4
Nature 4
Islam 3
Ecosystems 3
Geology 3
Castles 3
Sacred Spaces 3

Jordan Leaderboard

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Stories About Jordan

A sweet bread made with whole wheat Jordanian flour by artisan baker Ruba Asi.

In Jordan, an Ancient Bread Tradition Rises Again

Al Barakeh Wheat Project resurrects the nation's heritage grain and, with it, a bygone communal culture.
by Sam Lin-Sommer
October 7, 2022
A volunteer with the reforestation effort walks through a woodland near Amman. Today, only about one percent of Jordan is forested.

To Resurrect Jordan's Lost Forests, Plant a Seed in Hearts and Minds

Environmentalists see small reforestation pilot sites around the capital of Amman as a first step to a greener future.
by Jason Ruffin
April 7, 2022
Most Circassian fare is hearty and meant to sustain energy in the cold Caucasus climate.

The Women Keeping Circassian Cuisine Alive in Jordan

A restaurant in Amman preserves the cooking traditions of a diaspora.
by Jason Ruffin
April 1, 2022
A multidisciplinary research team believes a catastrophic impact event may have inspired the Biblical story of the destruction of Sodom.

Is an Asteroid to Blame for the Biblical Story of Sodom?

A massive space rock impact event may have inspired the tale of godly wrath.
by Christopher R. Moore
November 1, 2021
Wadi Rum in southern Jordan.

In Jordan, Bedouins Are Preserving Ancient Rock Art With an App

Locals are using their phones to document and assess the engravings of Wadi Rum.
by Robin George Andrews
April 22, 2019
Two laborers build the city and discuss their work in the captions.

Found: An Ancient Roman Comic Strip With Speech Bubbles

“Alas for me! I am dead!”
by Matthew Taub
September 28, 2018
Malted barley: just a couple of steps away from beer.

Found: Evidence of the Oldest Beer Ever Brewed

It's possible that beer even came before bread.
by Matthew Taub
September 12, 2018
The Scanning Electron Microscope photograph of bread found at Shubayqa 1.

Found: 14,400-Year-Old Flatbread Remains That Predate Agriculture

The burned crumbs shed light on prehistoric hunter-gatherers’ diets.
by Paula Mejia
July 16, 2018

Lists Featuring Jordan

Madaba Mosaic Map
The gallery of maps, showing the ceiling
Great Polish Map of Scotland

13 Marvelous Maps That Go Way Beyond Paper

Charting the world's most intriguing out-of-the-box cartography.

13

Including Madaba Mosaic Map, Gallery of Maps - Galleria delle Carte Geografiche, and Mapparium Globe

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