The Forum

The Forum – a meeting place. Gatherings were held here for community and political reasons. Basically, a fancy town square, as well as a downtown shopping district. Too bad modern meeting halls aren’t open air gathering spots with towering columns. Architecture like this has a life force that makes you want to be there… even in the antique stage of its existence.

To keep your place on the map – even though I don’t have one to share here – the photo below shows where the forum is in comparison to the Temple of Zeus and other sites already mentioned. The forum was behind me as I took this photo. The stairs lead over the arch/bridge we saw near the entry doors to the Temple of Zeus – the entry hall being down other stairs (not seen) to my right, on the forum-side of the stairs in the photo. These steps lead up to the ruins on the hill of the actual Temple of Zeus. We haven’t been too close to that site as it was fenced off last time, and we explored in a different direction on this visit. The larger of the two theatres is up there as well. In this photo you also see the South Gate in the distance – beyond which you would walk to get to the hippodrome, Hadrian’s Arch, and the modern entry for us tourists – and you can even see the tape where they’ve blocked off where the old path/ramp to the gate used to be, but which is now a new work in progress (or rather, an old work in progress!)

One of the things I like about the forum is, that it is quite simply, inviting. The kids are drawn to it. It begs you to wander, sit, play… even just walk the perimeter a couple of times. Here’s a photo of the kids in the forum – true, you can barely see them, but this is proof of what I’m saying. They were drawn up the stairs and out there, chasing each other and picking up rocks. Our kids weren’t the only ones either, a couple of local boys even had a soccer game going.

I can only wonder what this expanse of paving stones looked like when it was flat and new. It’s still massive and very impressive, but to have seen it when it was precisely laid out and in its prime would have been a grand sight. I think that, although I’m trying my best(!), these photographs simply cannot capture the presence of this area, its physical, or even historical, weight.  My camera is not big enough!

My exploring buddy. I can’t help it that I got more photos of Honor this trip, she stuck by my side (mostly), as Brian ran off, and all over the place, with his visiting friend.

A view down the Cardo, or colonnaded street, heading north towards the Temple of Artemis.

A look out on the hill at all the puzzle pieces yet to be explored.

North-northwest view

We enjoyed a beautiful sunset as we returned through the forum on the way out. There was a partial slice of a vertical rainbow, to the left side of the sun, that our companion labeled a sun dog. Very pretty, but my camera did not manage to capture it.

Zeus

After the chariot show, we wandered out to the main area of Jerash to visit the ruins. The entrance is through the South Gate.

Off to the left is an inviting opening in the wall. Not sure if this would have been enclosed, as part of a building, or if it was a courtyard.

From the weathering on these stones (some are carved) it seems this may have been an outdoor area. One day we might take a formal tour and learn more, for now, we do our own exploring and peeking among the nooks and crannies we find. Somewhere in this greenery was a frog or lizard with an amazing croak… we couldn’t find it though. This little niche is on the outside wall of the hall whose entry door we found a little further down the lane (below).

  An area within the same courtyard area.

Walking toward the enclosed hall, looking up at the bridge and columns overhead…

This door was not open last time we were here! The entry to the Temple of Zeus. I did not explore much here as we were on the look out for the rest of our group … I definitely will need to revisit this part, read some more signs, etc.

Inside the hall. Yep, we definitely need more time to explore this!

Below is a photo from this week’s visit to Jerash. With the exterior wall of the hall on the right side, entry door just behind me, the arched bridge over my head, the small courtyard that the children explored up ahead and off to the right (out of sight), and the South Gate to the front, we noticed that the left side of the walk has been recently excavated. When we were here before, we walked up what was an earthen ramp on the left… it has been dug out, and now rectangular outlines of cut stone are revealed. Were these rooms? A foundation for a walk/stairway up to the forum?

Below is a photo of what it looked like on our last visit – although you’re going to have to try and turn the scene around in your head. When I took the picture below, I was standing with my back toward the South Gate looking at the Entry to the Temple of Zeus.  For the photo above, I was standing under the archway in the background of this shot. The ramp that Brad and Brian are posing on is gone now, and the (obviously modern) structure with the 3-pane window under the arch is no longer there. We are now able to walk through the arch, take a short right turn, and go up the stairs  into the forum. There are two entry doors into the Hall on the left, the one we see next to the arch in this photo, and another on the other end of the arch.

Under the arch.

The second door. I liked the greenery growing along the walls.

I also like this little explorer who was helping me find interesting bits to photograph!

And after this quick perusal of the entry hall, the kids were up the stairs and running off into the forum… eager to lead the way to the rest of the site.

Touring with kids does tend to be hit and miss depending on how fast or slow they feel like traveling/playing/looking/climbing/paying attention/etc., and it doesn’t help to push or demand that they stay focused. Kids have different wants, needs and energy levels than adults, and trying to make them conform to a strict schedule of guided tours can be hard on everyone! I like that we can simply wander about randomly. I also like that I probably see things I wouldn’t have otherwise because a child got down on hands and knees, crawled into a corner that I wouldn’t have thought to, and pointed out a particular bit of fascinating carving.  I saw more of the Temple on this visit than the last, and more of the forum and colonnade as well, I also saw less of everything than what I wanted(!), but that’s ok, as we can always go back – and that’s one of the real perks of living as an expat with kids. When you are traveling – everything must be done NOW. When you live in a place, things can be done now, and/or next weekend, and/or next month – which makes for a much better pace and experience.
More photos later!

Rocks

One of the things I like best about Jerash, is the multitude of rocks. I suppose that technically these are carved stones, and no longer ‘rocks’, but when I am out there, I simply think “Wow! Rocks!” They are everywhere, and the details and carvings are plentiful and amazing. The variety of artistic styles is also very intriguing.

The one below was in the hippodrome, looking down on the outside of the stairwell which brought us up to the bleachers. I think it says “Keep your seat or you’ll fall into this stair pit, crack your head on this rock, and then roll out into the arena where you’ll be run over by chariots or eaten by gladiators.” (or something like that. I could be wrong…).

Some look randomly stacked. This doesn’t look like the original placement. I get the impression that someone(s), not professional archeologists, came along at a later date – after the Romans, but still long ago - camping, herding sheep, soldiers bivouacking , or something… they got bored… and for lack of TV, started putting things together.

It was very green. We have had a lot of rain lately, and bits of life were poking up everywhere. Like this flower in the forum.

Wheel ruts worn into the paving stones.

Honor was tickled to find treasure “X marks the spot!”

Brad and I both liked this little stairwell – I focused on the flowers, he came along later with his camera and took a shot of the stairs.

I believe these last four were taken near the Temple of Artemis. (The last three for sure, but I am not sure of this first one).