Letter M

266. Mushattā, Qaṣr | قصر المُشتَّى

‘Ammān Governorate

Jāmi‘

JADIS no. 2412001

MEGA no. 2715, mosque 15374; 15371

Coordinates: 31°44'14.4"N 36°00'37.1"E

31.737344, 36.010308

 

 

Plan: Long rectangular room no. VIII 19. The plan published after the restoration of 1962 according to the plan of B. Schulz does not correspond to the situation in Umayyad times: A sondage dug in 2010 revealed a foundation wall which indicates that the hall was much shorter. This wall is still overseen even in more recent studies (cf. for instance, Rashan 2009). The miḥrāb of the S wall was flanked by two small columns. Supports in the interior are missing. Therefore, the mosque is reconstructed as an open long rectangular space probably without any roofing (Perlich).

Measurements: 522.6 m2

Exterior: unknown.

Interior: 39 x 13.40 m (Rashdan 2009)

Building Materials: limestone and brick.

Construction details: two sided masonry of well-dressed blocks in horizontal rows with the use of mortar in the interior fill of rubble and earth.

Preservation: excavated ruin, conserved, open to visitors, not in use for Muslim prayer.

Inscription(s): several graffiti but no inscription related directly to the construction or use of the mosque.

Date(s): Umayyad

Traveler Reports: see Provincia Arabia, none of the early travelers refers to the mosque.

Bibliography: Provincia Arabia II 105-176 figs. 687-751; Musil 1902, 46-47; Arabia Petraea I. 197-206 figs. 83-92; Herzfeld 1921, 104- 146; Creswell 21969, I, 2, 578-606; 614-641; Allan 1989, 201-208; 211-212; Ajlouni 1992, 32-33; Bujard 2008, 13-34; Rashdan 2009, 111-112. 159-163 figs. 80-96. 182-183 pls. 12a-b; Hasanat - Kabir et alii 2010, fig. 3c; B. Perlich, in: Qaṣr al- Mschatta 1, 231-233 figs, 246-247; Ballian 2012c, 209-210; Sqour - Abu Ghanimeh 2014, 3 with note 2; Tabbah - Taylor 2016; 200-203; Antun 2016, 109.

 
Fig. 266.1 Plan of qaṣr Mushatta with indication of the mosque Room VIII 19 (Perlich 2016, frontispice).
 
Fig. 266.2 Panoramic view of courtyard with prayer hall from NW (TMW-K 2016).
Fig. 266.3 View of S wall from N (TMW-K 2016).
Fig. 266.4 Condition of the miḥrāb niche in the early 20th century (Per- lich 2016, fig. 246).
Fig. 266.5 Condition of the miḥrāb after the restoration of 1962 (TMW-K 2016).
Fig. 266.6 Graffiti in miḥrāb niche (TMW-K 2016).

Figures

[Fig. 266.1 ]
Plan of qaṣr Mushatta with indication of the mosque Room VIII 19 (Perlich 2016, frontispice).

[Fig. 266.2 ]
Panoramic view of courtyard with prayer hall from NW (TMW-K 2016).

[Fig. 266.3 ]
View of S wall from N (TMW-K 2016).

[Fig. 266.4 ]
Condition of the miḥrāb niche in the early 20th century (Per- lich 2016, fig. 246).

[Fig. 266.5 ]
Condition of the miḥrāb after the restoration of 1962 (TMW-K 2016).