LetterJ

179. Jerash / Gerasa of the Decapolis /Antiocheia ad Chrysorrhoam | جرش / جراسا

Jerash Governorate

Jāmi‘

JADIS no. 231 8002

MEGA no. 58418

Coordinates: 32°16'52.5"N 35°53'34.7"E

32.281250, 35.892972

 

 

Plan: The mosque occupies the site of a Roman atriumhouse, the impluvium of which has been converted into an open courtyard (saḥn). Long rectangular plan with miḥrāb decentered in the S wall; entrance at the SE corner; a square platform inserted into the SW corner has been interpreted as a minbar. Two riwāq arcades were constructed by the reuse of Roman Corinthian columns, the ones along the E long side are still preserved.

Measurements: 137 m2

Exterior: unknown.

Interior: 13.7 m x 10 m.

Building Materials: limestone, predominantly reused Roman blocks. The free standing miḥrāb consists of a Roman wall niche originally crowned with a scallop tondo.

Construction details: constructed from spolia, no evidence for the roof construction (if ever existed).

Preservation: ruin, not in use for Muslim prayer.

Inscription(s): An marble fragment with illegible traces of an Arabic inscription has been found during the clearance work.

Date(s): Umayyad, according to the pottery and other find material (Naghawi 1982).

Bibliography: Naghawi 1982, 20-22; Khouri 1986, 80; Hattab 2015, 198-199 (mosque not shown).

 
Fig. 179.1 Ground plan (Naghawi 1982).
Fig. 179.2 Overview of the area of the propylaea church, location of the mosque to the N of it indicated by red circle (TMW-K 2014).
Fig. 179.3 Interior view from N (Naghawi 1982).
Fig. 179.4 Exterior view from E (TMW-K 2019).
Fig. 179.5 Exterior view from N (TMW-K 2019).

Figures

[Fig. 179.1 ]
Ground plan (Naghawi 1982).

[Fig. 179.2 ]
Overview of the area of the propylaea church, location of the mosque to the N of it indicated by red circle (TMW-K 2014).

[Fig. 179.3 ]
Interior view from N (Naghawi 1982).

[Fig. 179.4 ]
Exterior view from E (TMW-K 2019).

[Fig. 179.5 ]
Exterior view from N (TMW-K 2019).