Global Treasures: Kastron Mefa'a

Television Director: Ullman, Frank

Producer: Scarson, Peter O.

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Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1239

UPC: 879061008382

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Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

Umm Ar-Rasas, the Kastron Mefa'a of antiquity, is one of the most mysterious archaeological sites in Jordan. Today this ancient settlement is tantamount to a field of ruins.

Kastron Mefa'a is divided into three sections. In the northern area is one of the few buildings that has managed to survive in reasonable condition, and even now it is unknown how many treasures still lie undiscovered.

With the decline of the Roman Empire, this military outpost on the edge of the desert was abandoned. Between the 4th and 6th centuries AD, there were many eremites, men who lived an ascetic life, in this region. They were honored as mediators between heaven and earth.

Over the years the buildings here served many purposes, and several Bedouin families lived in the ancient ruins right up to the beginning of the twentieth century.

The ruins of Umm Ar-Rasas, formerly Kastron Mefa'a, provide a fascinating insight into a once forgotten part of Jordan's history that lay hidden beneath the desert sand.