Salt & Fuheis

> Salt's Ottoman past is clearly visible in it's architecture.

Salt An ancient town, Salt was once the most important settlement in the area between the Jordan Valley and the eastern desert. Because of its location and history it was an important trading link between the eastern desert and the west, it was a significant place for the region’s many rulers. The Romans, Byzantines and Mameluks all contributed to the growth of the town but it was at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, during Ottoman rule, when Salt enjoyed its most prosperous period. It was at that time that the Ottomans established a regional administrative base in Salt and encouraged settlement from other parts of their empire. As the town’s status increased, many merchants arrived and, with their newly acquired wealth, built the fine houses that can still be admired in Salt today. Take a walk around the old town and explore the narrow streets. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes, as the town is quite hilly and there are many steps. During summer be sure to wait until the end of the day to explore. These splendid yellow sandstone buildings incorporate a variety of local and European styles. Typically, they have domed roofs, interior courtyards and characteristic tall, arched windows. Perhaps the most beautiful is the Abu Jaber mansion, built between 1892 and 1906, which has frescoed ceilings, painted by Italian artists, and is reputed to be the finest example of a 19th century merchant house in the region. Tightly built on a cluster of three hills, Salt has several other places of interest, including Roman tombs on the outskirts of town and the Citadel and site of the town’s early 13th century Ayyubid fortress which was built by al- Ma’azzam Isa, the nephew of Saladine soon after 1198 AD. There is also a small museum and a handicraft school where you can admire the traditional skills of ceramics, weaving, silk-screen printing and dyeing. Salt’s museum and archeological showcases display artifacts dating back to the Chalcolithic period to the Islamic era as well as other items relating to the history of the area. In the folklore museum there is a good presentation of Bedouin and traditional costumes and everyday folkloric items. Salt is just a half hour drive from the city of Amman. Fuheis The quaint town of Fuheis, about half an hour from Amman, features charming restaurants, galleries and a small complex of craft shops presenting ceramics, weaving, jewellery, antiques and other items. In the summer, theatre and musical performances can be enjoyed outdoors - a small detour, but well worth an afternoon or evening trip. History & Culture Salt, the capital of the Belqa'a region, has attracted settlers since before the Iron Age, mainly due to the fact that the area enjoys a moderate climate, a plentiful supply of water and fertile soil. The town was also well placed on the north to south trade routes and those running from east to west, linking the interior with Jerusalem, Nablus, Nazareth and the Mediterranean coast. Salt’s mixed Muslim-Christian population and it’s centuries-old trading connections has helped create the town’s enviable reputation for ethnic and religious tolerance and coexistence. Evidence of the Roman times can still be seen and there are several Roman tombs on the outskirts of the town. During the Byzantine period the town was known as Saltos which means forest/wooded trees. In the Byzantine period the town was known as Jadaron/Jader and it was depicted on a mosaic pavement from the Ma’in where it is labeled “ Jadaron”. In the 13th century a Ayyubid fortress was built on the site of the citadel by the Sultan Al Mu'azzam Isa (a nephew of Saladine), who was based in Damascus. The fortress was destroyed by invading Mongols in 1260, but was rebuilt a year later by a second Mameluk ruler from Egypt. Six centuries later, in 1840, the forces of yet another Egyptian potentate, Ibrahim Pasha, demolished it yet again. The Citadel is now the site of a large mosque, which towers over the modern town. By the early 19th century, Salt was a prosperous frontier town on the edge of Ottoman Empire and the desert. Useful to all, it was ruled by none and the people of Salt were said to be ‘free from taxation of any kind’. The town was also the centre of lucrative trading between the region and urban centres in Palestine. The town's fortunes and status declined after World War I., when Emir Abdullah ibn Al-Hussein chose Amman to be the capital of the new Emirate of Transjordan. Museums Salt Archaeological Museum The Salt Archaeological Museum is located in the new Salt commercial center. The museum, with its two exhibition halls, was opened in 1986. The main exhibition hall contains a collection of pottery from Tuleilat Ghassul, dated to the Chalcolithic (4500-3300 BC). The Early Bronze Age (3300-2200 BC) show case contains a collection of large water jars and ceramic lamps from the Salalem region of Salt and from Tiwal ash-Sharqi, while the Middle and Late Bronze Age periods (2200-1200 BC) are chiefly represented by pottery plates and bowls from excavations at Baq’a and Kattaret as-Samra. The Iron Age (1200-539 BC) display is comprised of pottery vessels and lamps from Tell Deir’ Alla. The Byzantine period (AD 324-636) is represented by a large collection of glass vessels, lamps and candelabra from a church at Jal’ad. Another showcase has Ayyubid/Mamluk (AD 1174-1516) pottery vessels. Finds from the Wadi Shu’eib area and the “Roman Mausoleum” are exhibited in the main hall as well. These include bronze bracelets and coins ranging from the Hellenistic to the Ayyubid period. The second hall is smaller. On show here are collections of pottery and glass from various sites in the Balqa’ District, as well as mosaics from the South Shuneh Byzantine church. In the second hall there is also a collection of photographs of traditional houses, streets and suqs in Salt. Salt Folklore Museum The Salt Folklore Museum is located within the Salt Cultural Center. The museum was opened in 1987. The museum was established for the conservation and display of the popular heritage of al-Balqa’. It is comprised of two sections representing Bedouin and village life. In the Bedouin section there is a goat hair tent consisting of two parts: ash-Shaq where the man of the household and his male guests sit, and al-Mahram where women sit. In ash-shaq the coffee ritual takes place with the coffee pot (Dallah), the coffee roasting pan (Mehmas) and mortar for grinding coffee (Mehbash). On display there are the weapons used for the defense of the tribe, such as the sword and gun. The village house is built with reeds and re-used archaeological stone blocks. In it is the folded up bedding (Wahd) and the special chest for keeping the family heirlooms. Household activities are demonstrated by models of women baking bread and grinding wheat. The collections of the museum illustrate the culture of Jordanian Society. How people faced the challenge of nature and how they adapted to their environment. Religion & Faith In and around Salt are several tombs of prominent figures of Islam and others mentioned in the Holy Quran. Within a modern mosque in Wadi Shu'ayb lies the shrine of Prophet Shu'ayb Jethro , the Midianite father-in-law of Prophet Moses and with whom Moses took refuge after he killed an Egyptian. Repeatedly he preached to his people about monotheism and to abandon their corrupt practices such as under-weighing and under-measuring the commodities they sold. Prophet Yusha (Joshua) Tomb: The shrine of Prophet Yusha (Joshua). Within a mosque to the west of Salt, on a hill carrying his name lies the shrine of Prophet Yusha (Joshua) . He was the apprentice of Prophet Moses and later his successor. Prophet Joshua led the army of the tribes of Israel in conquest over the land of Palestine. Southwest of Salt in an area known as Khirbet Ayyoub foundations of an ancient building mark the final resting place of Prophet Ayyoub Job who is mentioned in the Holy Quran four times. His legendary patience and faith gave him strength to endure tremendous hardships. Ultimately Prophet Job was rewarded with blessings, as stated in the Holy Quran (Sura 21, verses 83-84): "And (remember) Ayyoub, when He cried to his Lord, "Truly distress has seized me, but Thou art the Most Merciful of those that are merciful." So We listened to him: We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his people to him, and doubled their number, as a Grace from Ourselves, and a thing for commemoration, for all who serve Us." A collection of stones marks the tomb of the venerable companion Maysarah bin Masrouq Al-'Abssi buried west of Salt in the town of 'Arda. He witnessed the Prophet's Farewell Pilgrimage and took part in the Battle of Yamamah and the conquest of Greater Syria. In the 20th year after Hijra, he became the commander of an army that successfully attacked the Byzantines, making them the first Muslim army to enter Byzantine lands.

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