19. Ain Beni Ḥasan | عين بني حسن

al-Mafraq Governorate

Jāmi‘ / masjid

JADIS no. 241 8025

MEGA no. 13010

Coordinates: 32°16'12.5"N 36°03'20.0"E

32.270139, 36.055556

Plan: broad rectangular with two stone-lined external benches along N wall of prayer hall, centralized entrance       corridor from N with door in axis to miḥrāb in the N wall. S qibla wall with miḥrāb, minbar mentioned by Rjoub - Housan (2013) but not anymore identifiable (2018).

Measurements: 100 m2 (Rjoub - Housan 2013). 

Exterior: 14.72 x 8.80 m

Interior: Prayer Hall: 3.30 x 5.80 m; benches in the N: 3.35 x 5.80 m.

Building Materials: yellowish-brown limestone of local origin. In several parts older (Hellenistic or Roman) blocks of high-quality finish have been reused, especially in the N sector of the complex (fig. 19.6).

Construction details: irregular masonry of coarsely dressed limestone boulders, in sectors two-sided technique with fill of smaller flaked and unworked fieldstones bound with mortar. The reinforced S wall with a thick ness of 3.50 m corresponds to the N wall of the prayer hall. It was most probably covered by a barrel vault ex tending in E-W direction.

Preservation: Excavated and ruined, not in use for Muslim prayer anymore. A new masjid al-kabīr has been built ca. 300 m to the NE of the fenced ruin.

Inscription(s): none known.

Date(s): Umayyad (Rjoub - Housan 2013). Traveler Reports: none known.

Bibliography: AJ II1, 131-132 s.v. ‘Ain (J.-B. Humbert); Nahar 2009; 71-73 pl. 14; Rjoub –Housan 2013, 461– 478 no. 1.