The location of Tharais. We have finally resolved

For decades archaeologists look at the Madaba mosaica fundamental map to understand the history of the Holy Land, asking a seemingly irresoluble question: where is the Byzantine city of Tharais? The settlement appears in his cartography with many others, but so far no one had been able to clarify what exact situation and much less locate their remains.

Until now.

On the MADABA map. The Basilica de San Jorge It is an orthodox temple raised at the end of the 19th century in Madaba, Jordan, less than 100 km from Jerusalem. If every year he receives a tide of visitors, it is not, however, for their architecture, their history or location. No. The key is its ‘roots’: the basilica was erected on the remains of an ancient Byzantine temple of the VI DC that stands out for a unique piece: Madaba’s mapa mosaic that offers the oldest cartographic representation (at least among the known) of the Holy Land.

In the mosaic we identify the Dead Sea furrowed by fishing boats, several bridges in the Jordan River, Jericó, Belén, a detailed representation of Jerusalem with some of its most emblematic constructions … and, among other references, the ancient city of Tharais. That Figure in the Madaba mosaic gives us a clue of its relevance, but for decades historians have been circling an apparently irresoluble question: Where the hell was Tharais placed?

Narrowing the fence. It may seem a minor issue, but for quite some time the exact location of the old Byzantine city warmed the academic debate. Archaeologists looked at Jordan, but without a clear idea where he could place. There were even those who spoke regions as remote as Dhat Rass. However, however, a team of researchers led by Musallam al-Rawahnehfrom the University of Mutahah, the discussion set out to settle

To do so, the new methods of archaeological research, the valuable information of the Madaba mosaic map and above all the scattered clues on the ground. During their field studies west Karak archaeologists had noticed a gradual increase in ceramic fragments and architectural vestiges of the Byzantine era that were in their path. And that made them look towards a very specific point: the population of El-´iraq.

When the pieces fit. “We discovered so many ceramic pieces near El-´iraq that we knew we were close to the settlement,” Professor Al-Rawahne points out in statements collected by The green compass. Not just that. In their favor they had the information of the mosaic of the Basilica of San Jorge. The place where they were looking for was much better adapted to the plane of the eighth century than the theory that Tharais placed in Dhat Ras. “That does not fit. On the MADABA map, Tharais appears near AI (today the population of Aiy). And there are no Byzantine churches there.”

The Eureka moment. Convinced that they were on the right track, Al-Rawahne studied the area between 2021 and 2024, which allowed him to collect more and more blunt clues. In addition to mosaic fragments, tools or glassware, experts located a key reference: column remains, a door, mosaics … architectural vestiges that invite you to think of a Byzantine basilica that also fits with the image of Tharais that appears in Madaba.

As remember Turkiye TodayDuring their exploration, archaeologists also identified ancient Greek and Latin funeral inscriptions that dated between the V and VII DC centuries, marks that revealed them from the presence of a Christian community in the area and finished convincing them that they had finally found the mythical Byzantine city. During their field work they also identified other interesting pieces, such as a circular oil press.

Why is it important? For several reasons. The most obvious is that the finding of al-Rawahneh Zanja a priori the debate on the location of Tharais; But it is also that the location tells us about the history of the Roman Empire of the East in the region or the importance that Tharais had, which seemed to play a double role of religious center and enclave in a strategic commercial corridor.

“The prominence of Tharais on the map of Madaba and the finding of a basilical church structure suggest that it served not only as an agricultural village, but also as a sacred site and commercial stop,” Comment The mutah teacher.

“Defend heritage”. In addition to the remains of the temple, archaeologists have identified a oil mill, water mills and tools to crush grapes, which reinforces the idea that Tharais was an autonomous settlement. Experts now expect the finding, Posted in Specialized Magazine Gephyrahelp raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment.

“Our goal is not only to discover Tharais, but also to defend the protection of the rich cultural heritage of Jordan”, Recalca al-Rawahneh. The team He already warns that new excavations are needed to understand how people lived in settlement and what ties had with other cities of the empire.

Images | Wikipedia 1 and 2

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