Ammon News - AMMAN - Amidst the high-end fashion boutiques, beauty salons, shopping centres and hotels of west Amman lies an archaeological gem dating back to the Byzantine era.

Across from the Liwan Hotel in the capital’s Sweifieh neighbourhood lies a Byzantine church, with the most complete mosaic in Amman and one of the most detailed in the country, which is left in the shadow of high-rise buildings and threatened by development.

A private citizen building the foundations for a villa discovered the mosaics in 1969 and excavations in 1970 revealed vibrant mosaics.

Following excavations, it quickly became clear that the northern half of the mosaic survived, a 10-metre by four-metre strip that represents a tribute to the craftsmanship and artistic skills of that period.

According to the Department of Antiquities (DoA), the surrounding structure predates the Byzantines, and may have originally been a palace for a wealthy Roman, dating to around the same time as settlements at the Citadel.

In the upper corner of the mosaic, an inscription bears the name Bishop Thomas in ancient Greek - placing the construction of the mosaic in the sixth century AD.

Gazelles, wild boars, a hare, a lion, aquatic birds and a wild beast adorn the mosaic floor, while floret crosses and diamond arrangements align the outskirts of the mosaic, which is believed to have been a chapel floor.

The Sweifieh mosaic’s most unusual feature, however, is its depictions of people.

Although many Byzantine-era mosaics were defaced by iconoclasts, the Sweifieh mosaic has several images of human faces intact - such as a camel driver carrying stones and a farmer leading a donkey laden with a basket of grapes, complete with detailed eyes staring out across the ages.

It is believed that the chapel was part of a series of smaller churches built on the outskirts of Amman, known then as Philadelphia. Some associate the church with Saint Sofia, who lent her name to the Sweifieh neighbourhood, now an up-scale west Amman suburb.

According to Catholic tradition, in the second century AD, Sofia’s three daughters were tortured and eventually beheaded by Roman Emperor Hadrian as a test of their faith. Some believe the church and its mosaic were built as a testament to their sacrifice and commitment to their faith even in the face of death.

As it was built on the outskirts of Philadelphia, the chapel floor survived the rise and fall of the city and the various civilisations that occupied the region. But today, surrounded by the sprawling developments of western Amman, its ultimate fate is in doubt.

After the 1970 excavations, the DoA built a small concrete shelter around the mosaic, but work on the area has ground to a halt, according to the department. With limited funding, authorities are unable to properly present the mosaic to visitors and display a rare glimpse into the capital’s history.

Without greater awareness, the mosaic may be irreparably damaged, according to an archaeological expert who preferred to remain unnamed.

Despite the freestanding structure designed to protect the mosaic, water floods the site during winter rains, while the vibrations caused by ongoing construction in nearby areas are slowly damaging the fragile artwork, he added.

Until urgent work is carried out, he stressed that shoppers frequenting the commercial district should stop by and see a rare glimpse of ancient Amman before the chapel floor is sacrificed to modernity.

(Taylor Luck/Jordan Times)

**** The Sweifieh mosaic, which was once the floor of a Byzantine chapel, is a rare and threatened artefact of ancient Philadelphia (Photo by Taylor Luck)