172. Jdēdtā / Khadītā | جديتا

Irbid Governorate

Maqām Shēkh ‘Abd Allāh al-Mākhfī

JADIS no. none

MEGA no. none

Coordinates: 32°24'29.0"N 35°42'21.2"E

32.408056, 35.705889

Plan: Single tomb in E-W orientation sunk into a modern concrete cube with open upper side; located ca. 300 m to the NNW from the maqām Shēkh ‘Abdū bin Yūsef on a terrace of the large Muslim cemetery which extends on the slope down to the wādī. The tomb is surrounded by a number of other graves of more recent date. To the SW is a large circular limestone grinding basin of a Roman-Byzantine olive oil press.

Measurements: unknown.

Exterior: unknown.

Interior: unknown.

Building Materials: new cast concrete.

Construction details: The cubic concrete tomb is filled from above with gravel and earth. There are some round holes at the N long side from which wild bushes grow out.

Preservation: At the bottom of the concrete cube protrude several smaller limestones which mark the lateral borders of the old tomb. The local inhabitants narrated the members of the GJU survey on November 23rd, 2019, that the Shēkh once arrived to the village as a stranger. He was appreciated by the villagers for his piety and benevolence. Due to his foreign origin he was nicknamed al-mākhfī (= “the stranger’). His humble tomb is still visited by the community for performing vows and sacrifices.

Inscription(s): none known.

Date(s): late Ottoman.

Traveler Reports: none known.

Bibliography: unpublished.