Marvelling at Madaba- Jordan’s Mosaic Masterpiece of the Holy Land
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Hashim Sheikh
- . April 10, 2025
- . Update: April 10, 2025 2:59 pm
Madaba which is known as the City of Mosaics, situated 33 km southwest of Amman is the capital of Jordan. The name is appropriate for Madaba which is home to some of the most beautiful and historically noteworthy in the world.
The Madaba Map is considered the crown jewel of Madaba’s mosaics and is located in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. The 6th century mosaic was uncovered in 1884 during church construction and is the oldest cartographic representation of the Holy Land. It had been 21 by 7 meters and contained more than two million tesserae. The map shows the detailed descriptions of areas from Lebanon to the Nile Delta including representations of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Jericho.
The representation of Jerusalem on the Madaba Map has been a treasure for archaeologists. Most importantly, it shows monuments like the New Church of St. Mary which was dedicated in 542 AD and gives information about the city’s Byzantine style layout.
Aside from the Madaba Map, the city is home to several other mosaic masterpieces. Within the Church of the Apostles is a mosaic named the Personification of the Sea that depicts a woman emerging from the sea surrounded by marine life. Mosaics within the Church of the Virgin and the Madaba Archaeological Park depict both biblical narratives and scenes from everyday life.
As a mosaic legacy, Madaba mosaic recounts the history of the city as a cultural and religious center in the Byzantine and Umayyad period. Today they serve not just as artistic works but as portals to the region’s history attracting scholars, pilgrims and tourists.
