Irbid Archaeological Museum

Welcome, esteemed traveler, to the Irbid Archaeological Museum. Locally, this remarkable institution is known as Dar Al Saraya, a name that translates to the House of the Government or the Governor's Palace. …

Having crossed the threshold, we now find ourselves in the central courtyard of Dar Al Saraya. Take a moment to stand perfectly still and absorb the architectural geometry that surrounds you. …

Here, in the very heart of the Ottoman courtyard, you will notice a large, rectangular excavation pit. It is quite unusual to find an open archaeological trench permanently maintained within the center of a finished museum. …

We now step from the sunlit courtyard into the shaded, vaulted halls of the ground floor. As you look around at the robust stone ceilings and the sturdy columns, I ask you to imagine the scent of hay and the sounds of horses. …

Welcome to the Epigraphy Hall, a space dedicated to one of the most profound achievements of human civilization: the invention and evolution of the written word. The artifacts surrounding us in this gallery are not just carved…

As we enter the statuary hall, the aesthetic environment shifts dramatically. We have moved from the abstract realm of written language into the highly idealized, three dimensional representation of the human form and the divine. …

Step into the Chamber of Metallurgy, a gallery dedicated to the darker, more violent aspects of human history, as well as the astonishing technological prowess of ancient blacksmiths. The artifacts housed in this room, ranging…

Welcome to the Mosaics Exhibition Hall. As you cross the threshold into this space, the atmosphere instantly lightens, illuminated by the vibrant, enduring colors of thousands of tiny stone tesserae. …

We now step into a section of the building where the atmosphere noticeably thickens. The light seems a bit dimmer here, the air a bit heavier. …

As we conclude our extensive journey through the Irbid Archaeological Museum, we return to the central courtyard, standing once again under the open sky. Take a final, sweeping look at the dark basalt walls of Dar Al Saraya. …