English
desert castles
jordan tours - route map
Scattered through out the black basalt desert, east of Amman, the Desert Castles
stand as a testament to the flourishing beginnings of Islamic-Arab civilization.
These seemingly isolated pavilions, caravan stations, secluded baths, and
hunting lodges, were at one time integrated agricultural or trading complexes,
built mostly under the Umayyads (661-750 AD), when Muslim Arabs had succeeded in
transforming the fringes of the desert into well-watered settlements. Aside from
being widely considered as the most spectacular and original monuments of early
Islamic art, these complexes also served practical purposes: namely, as
residences, caravanserais, and baths.
In the year 661, the capital of the newly founded Arab Muslim Empire moved from
Medina and Kufa in the Hejaz and Iraq respectively, to Damascus, the seat of the
Umayyad Dynasty. The years which immediately followed the death of the founder
of the dynasty, Mu'awiya bin Abi Sufyan, were spent in overcoming rival
claimants to the Caliphate. The latter part of the reign of AbdulMalek bin
Marwan (685-750) seems to have been an exceptionally favorable interlude for the
Umayyads. Being more firmly on the saddle, one can detect a sudden release of
talent and creativity, which was manifested by the construction of the first
major Islamic monument in Jerusalem, the majestic Dome of the Rock.
The architectural program initiated by Caliph AbdulMalek, was continued and
expanded by his son, Al-Walid, who built the great mosques of Damascus,
Jerusalem, and Medina. Throughout the following decades, the Umayyads dotted the
Jordanian steppe with luxurious buildings decorated with splendid mosaic
pavements, fresco paintings, and carved stucco. All these indicate that the
Umayyads had found a modus vivendi with the Syrian civilization. The fact that
several of these buildings were located in the Jordanian steppe points to the
overriding importance of the area. Indeed, the area's incorporation into the
military district (Jund) of Damascus, whose governor was directly responsible to
Damascus, attests to its vitality.