438. Za‘ātari / Khirbet al-Qaḥātī | الزعتري / خربة القحاطي

al-Mafraq governorate

Masjid, open air desert mosque (?)

JADIS no. 271 7006

MEGA no. 7617

Coordinates: 32°10'31.0"N 36°19'11.0"E

32.175278, 36.319722

Plan: Khirbet al-Qaḥatī is an old Bedouin campsite, located few kilometers south of the present Za‘ātari refugee camp; long rectangular single nave according Rjoub and Housan (2013). During the field visit on February 23rd, 2019, it has been not possible to locate the mosque recorded by Rjoub – Housan 2013.

Measurements: 50 m²

Exterior: 5 x 10 m (Rjoub – Housan 2013).

Interior: unknown.

Building Materials: According to Rjoub – Housan 2013: limestone. At the site, however, only unworked basalt stones have been recorded by the GJU survey.

Construction details: Rjoub – Housan 2013 classified the construction with arches (?) and a roofing in cross vaulted system.

Preservation: Ruined, not in use anymore.

Inscription(s): none known.

Date(s): Umayyad (Rjoub – Housan 2013). During the field visit on February 23rd, 2019 pottery sherds dating from the late Roman / Byzantine to the 'Abbasid periods have been observed (fig. 437.2).

Traveler Reports: none known.

Bibliography: Rjoub – Housan 2013, 477 no. 34.