Archaeological sites in Madaba

Ancient Archaeological Sites

This collection of sites around Madaba showcases the region's transition from the Bronze Age to the Byzantine and Umayyad eras. It includes the Machaerus hilltop fortress where John the Baptist was imprisoned, the prehistoric megalithic tombs of Wadi Jadid, and extensive mosaic collections at the Madaba Museum and Archaeological Park II. Visitors can explore the 6th-century ruins of the Burnt Palace and the agricultural scenes depicted in the mosaics of Khirbet el Mekhayat.

Madaba Museum

Housed in a series of traditional Ottoman houses, this museum displays a collection of 6th-century Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, alongside traditional Jordanian costumes, jewelry, and archaeological finds from the surrounding region.

Machaerus

Machaerus was a Hasmonean hilltop palace and desert fortress, now in ruins, located in the village of Mukawir in modern-day Jordan, 25 km…

Khirbet el Mekhayat

Known as the Town of Nebo, this site features the 6th-century Church of Saints Lot and Procopius. Its well-preserved mosaic floor depicts detailed scenes of hunting, viticulture, and rural life from the Byzantine era.

Archaeological park II & Burnt Palace

This site preserves the remains of a 6th-century Byzantine residence destroyed by fire, known as the Burnt Palace. It features intricate mosaic floors, the Church of the Martyrs, and architectural elements from the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Wadi Jadid Dolmens

A prehistoric field containing dozens of megalithic stone tombs, or dolmens, dating back to the Early Bronze Age. These structures provide insight into the funerary practices of the region's ancient inhabitants.

Other Lists

Madaba's Sacred & Mosaic Wonders Sacred Religious Sites Jordan's Natural Wonders