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Further down the hill at the end of the street turn
right into prince Hassan St, then immediately left to
reach the archaeological park, which features:
Church of the Virgin: the first discovered in madaba in
1887 at what was a private home. Inscriptions on the
mosaic identified the church as that of Virgin Mary, it
dates back to the 6th century as flower blossoms and
buds at edge of the mosaic shows.
The elaborate geometric area with its central medallion
was added later in the Umayyad period, and is dated
767AD.
Hippolytus Hall: the church of the virgin built above a
hall of an early 6th century Madaba mansion. A border of
acanthus scrolls containing hunting and pastoral scenes
features the four seasons in the corners. The central
field divided into three panels:
Western panel filled with images of birds, alternating
with flowers and plants.
Central panel shows the mythological of Phaedra,
stepmother of Hippolytus, who fell madly in love with
her stepson and faced tragic consequences.
In the third panel, the goddess Aphrodite is shown
seated next to Adonis who holds a spear; threatening a
winged Cupid. In order to show that this scene takes
place in the countryside there is a peasant girl
carrying a basket of fruit and partridge. The other
figures are Cupid and three Graces.
Near the entrance to the hall is a medallion of a pair
of sandals framed by four birds. Along the eastern wall
are personification of the cities of Rome, Gregoria and
Madaba.
Martyrs Church: it dates to the 6th century and features a mosaic floor, which a little damaged by iconoclasts.
The basilica incorporates a number of columns, capitals
and bases which were re-used from a previous roman
structure. The two aisles out side the columns and in
the spaces between are decorated with geometric and
floral motifs, the central mosaic has three sections.
The first shows scenes of hunting, flowing and herding
among rows of trees laden with fruit. The central panel
is divided into 32 scrolls formed by eight vine
branches, which begin at the corners and intertwine
across the panel. The third one shows alternate series
of birds, flowers, fruits and baskets.
The so-called Burnt Palace: The Burnt Palace is a
luxurious residential house which was probably destroyed
by fire in the earthquake of 747A.D. The mosaic in the
hall consist s of a grid filled with trees, flowers,
birds, fish and animals. Within that frame there is
acanthus scrolls decorated with pastoral and hunting
motifs; the entrance features a pair of sandals within a
medallion.
The wing to the north of the hall has only been
partially excavated and includes a corridor paved with a
mosaic in geometric patterns. North of this, two rooms
have been partially excavated; the show personification
of one of the four seasons, a bust of goddess Tyche
wearing a turreted crown symbolizing the city, and a
mosaic with a fish-scale pattern within a plaited
border.
To the west of the central hall is a long room with two
main floor panels of geometric design, separated by a
strip of plain white tesserae, in the center of which is
a lion depicted attacking a bull. South of this room is
another square room with nearly intact mosaic floor
decorated in a pattern of indented squares. |
