Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Walking down the street, Roman style

Who knew that walking down an old street on our way to explore old ruins, could be just as interesting as the old ruins themselves?
We spent a good bit of our time wandering the long colonnaded street, the Cardo, that stretches from the forum to the North end of the site (past the Temple of Artemis).
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At the crossroads. I can’t find our book on Jerash, so I am not sure what this little structure in the ‘intersection’ is.
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Off to the left/west, and yet to be explored.
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and down to the right/east… looking into the modern town of Jerash.
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My view of Brian for most of the day… waaaay off in the distance! I admit though, these stairs do call to be climbed.
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For some reason, many of my photos here were tilted (sure wish I had photoshop on my new laptop – sorry if you’re getting a crick in your neck!) I must have been carrying too much junk on my left shoulder!
I get a sense of the age of the place from the photo below, because of the way the road has shifted over time.
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The columns are massive. Truly impressive that people would have taken the time and effort to create them! They are imposing.
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What a handy road! It even comes with child-storage devices!
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Did I mention that this place is huge? You can keep walking and wandering and yet you simply cannot see it all … not in one day!
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Honor found some wheel tracks in the stone.
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And all along the path, you see bits that suggest an actual sewer under the road.
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There are even manhole covers. (This one is a bit rough, but the only one I thought to take a photo of).
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Wow. I think we finally managed to wear them out! (but only temporarily)
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7 comments:

Lydia said...

Oh man, Jerash was tiring for us, too! And I didn't even bring the kids! Wheel ruts in the stone = my favorite part!

Lynda said...

Wow that looks amazing.. I have never heard of Jerash. Must look it up. More impressed by the weather.. it looks perfect. I am cold.. and tired of scraping the car every morning!

Rachel said...

that lookes really cute. from RACHEL

Lloyd said...

Looks like a totally amazing place! Wonderful pictures.

Expat Mom said...

These photos are so neat. I just went back over all your posts that I missed and they are all amazing. What a neat place to explore with the kids! I'm inspired to put up all the pics I have of the ruins we just went to on Sunday. Nothing like this, but you still wonder what it must have been like in its heyday.

Connie said...

I didn't know about Jerash either, or that something like it would be so close. By the time our move came around, I was not interested in researching or anything... I just wanted to move! I love to go explore the area, and I am happy to have a blog so I can bring you all with me :) ... although in person would obviously be best, but I do what I can do!

Lynda, I wish I could send some of this warmth your way.. although it's been soggy and chilly the last couple of days, so maybe you don't want that!

Rebecca @ Freaky Frugalite said...

Very cool! I will have to show my kids these photos. *sigh* I think I'd love to be a world traveler and wander the ancient ruins...

It is said that the size of our modern railroad tracks are patterned after those ancient wheel ruts of Rome. The old road ruts and then later the train tracks were set to accommodate 4' 8" (I think it's that measurement, 4 feet something).