Recently, archaeologists have made a truly exciting discovery: they managed to discover and start studying the ancient city of Tarais - one of the many settlements marked on the unique mosaic map of the VI century.
Excavations have shown that Tarais was not just a forgotten settlement, but a significant religious and economic center of the Byzantine Empire, whose history was almost lost until recently.
A mosaic pointing in the direction
The mosaic map from Madaba is perhaps one of the most important historical and geographical artifacts of the ancient Near East. It was created sometime between 542 and 570 AD, during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, and is believed to be the oldest known map of the Holy Land and its surroundings.
The VI century map is made of hundreds of thousands of colored stones and today adorns the floor of the ancient Christian church in the city of Madaba, Jordan, it shows 157 geographical objects, including cities, villages, rivers, mountains and deserts.
Many of the places indicated on the map are still a mystery to archaeologists. One such "ghost" city was Tarais, a name that for a long time appeared only in texts and on maps, but had no exact physical correspondence. However, thanks to the dedication and interdisciplinary approach of an international team of archaeologists, the situation has begun to change.
A search that stretched over years
Beginning in 2021, a team of researchers led by Musallam R. Al-Rawahneh, Associate Professor of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Mut University, embarked on an ambitious research project. Their aim was not just to confirm the existence of Tarais, but to locate it precisely, to verify it archaeologically, and to study the role of the city in the context of the Late Antique history of the region. The project lasted until 2024 and brought together scholars from Jordan, Spain, France and other countries.
Photo: lifehacker.ru
The team used a wide range of methods, from analyzing ancient texts and correlating cartographic sources to geophysical survey and in-situ archaeological excavations. Satellite imagery and modern digital mapping techniques played a particularly important role, allowing the Madaba mosaic data to be compared with the actual geography of the southeastern Dead Sea coast.
Archaeological finds: from mosaics to wineries
The fieldwork was conducted in the area of the modern Jordanian city of El-Iraq. It was here that numerous traces of an ancient settlement were discovered: fragments of mosaic floors with geometric and vegetal ornaments, glass vessels, metal tools and ceramics from the Byzantine period. These findings strongly indicated the existence of a permanent, developed settlement.
The remains of a large rectangular building, the architectural features of which coincided with a typical Byzantine basilica - a form of church common in the Christian world of the IV-VII centuries - attracted special attention of researchers. Inside, fragments of columns, altar structures and even inscriptions on stones in Greek and Latin containing Christian symbols and epitaphs were found. This strongly confirmed the presence of an active Christian community in ancient Tarais.
Photo: lifehacker.ru
In addition to religious buildings, traces of economic activity were found: olive oil presses, winemaking facilities, the remains of a water mill and warehouses. These findings show that Tarais was not just a spiritual center, but also a thriving economic hub, playing an important role in the agricultural system of the region.
Coincidences with the ancient map
The most striking thing was how closely the real archaeological finds coincided with the image of Tarais on the mosaic map. The researchers found gates, fragments of the fortress walls and even a tower in the places where they are marked on the ancient mosaic. This correspondence allowed the team to claim with a high degree of certainty that they had indeed found Tarais, a city whose location had been unknown for almost 1,500 years.
"The identification of Tarais on the map of Madaba and the discovery of the basilica indicate that it served not only as an agricultural village, but also as a sacred place and a center of commercial activity. This town was a place where trade routes, religious traditions and commerce intersected," Musallam Al-Rawahneh noted in an interview with Turkiye Today.
Preservation of historical heritage
However, the joy of discovery is accompanied by concern. The rapid urbanization of the Al-Iraq area and the expansion of agricultural land threaten the preservation of this unique archaeological complex. The research team is actively working with the Jordanian authorities and international cultural heritage protection organizations to declare Tarais a protected historical monument.
"Our goal was not just to discover Tarais," Al-Rawahneh emphasizes. "We want to preserve it for future generations as an important element of the region's Byzantine and Christian past. It is part of the heritage not only of Jordan, but of all humanity."