Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24
PALESTINE QUAKE
|. REGION DESCR|DED
Geographic. Society Bulletin
Deals With District Across
1"@fftt ,
Jordan.

"All Christendom can visualize the
location of the recent earthquake that
shook Bethlehem. Jerusalem and Jeri-
cho in Palestine, but Transjordania,
across the Jordan River. as the name
suggests, Is a new and less familiar
Arab state" says bulletin from the
headquarters of the National Geo
graphic Society.
"Transiordania did not exist until
the League of Nations. about seven!
years ago, decided to establish state
east of the Jordan. For some time
after its creation few persons more
than 500 miles from its borders knew
where and what the kingdom was. A
correspondent Of the society who visit
ed the new state in 1923 described Its
creation as an act of the Versailles
pastry makers, who, like so many
cooks. had some dough left over after
the molds were filed. and this was one
of the odd cookies
Borders Arabian Desert.
"A glance at. the map indicates that
Transjordania is a desert. Shaped
like an AK head, with the blade point
ing southwark toward the Red Sea,
the state lies on the northern fringe
of the Arabian Desert and includes the
eastern shores of the Dead Sea. But
much of the region. particularly that
lying near the Jordan. Is steppe land,
supporting some flocks and occasional
crops.
Like desert people. however, many
Of the half million inhabitants are
nomads who wander about the area.
| pitching their tents where and as they
| please. This accounts for the, slow
| development of the region. even the
| no A
| Ibu Hussein. is virtually a desert
prince and nomad chieftain. Until re-
Gently he held his court not in pala-
| tial palace but in a group of tents.
amman, Transiordania's capital.
| is about a 5-hour automobile ride
across the hot and dusty plains OF
| Jericho and through the sizzling val
| ley of the Jordan River. which is
| 1900 feet below the level of the sea.
| Amman, under various names, has
been the capital of this area for ages.
1t was called Rabbath Amman, chief
city of the Ammonites. almost from
the days of Lot, from whom the AM
| monites are said to have sprung.
| In the third century Ptolemy Phila-
delphus became the new lord and
called the capital Philadelphia, the
city of brotherly love. n.
| Once Seat OF culture.
"No one visiting Transjordania to-
day would suspect. at first glance,
that this land was once the center
of Greek and Roman prosperity.
Greek culture f1ourished in the East
after AleXander's eastern conquests
and during the reign of Ptolemy
Philadelphus. When Ptolemy took
the reins of government, one Of his
first acts was to build magnificent
acropolis at Amman.
1.-The main street OF Amman winds
around a high hill upon which the
Greek citadel once stood. Hard by
are the ruins of a Roman theater
and the broken stone benches of a
Roman amphitheater which probably
seated 1000 spectators.
Where Chess Came From.
"Abdullah has cleared away the
debris from the ruins. Perhaps some
visitors could make suggestions for
better use Of the ruins. Now the
columns and stones are frequently
lined with the village loungers, and
herds of goats browse among the
ancient foundations. Arabian coffee
shops and bazaars lean against some
OF the old walls and here and there.
IN the Shade or column. groups OF
squatting men. silent and almost mo-
tionless. play checkers or chess. The
Arabs assert they invented chess.
Everywhere in Transjordania the
mounted Arab is seen wearing his
flowing native garb. His hat is per.
haps the oldest form Of headgear.
1t Is a large square piece of cloth
called the kaffeyeh. which is doubled
cornerwise. laid on the head, and
held in place by coil of goats hair
or WOOL, One who is familiar with
the coil can tell readily from what
region the wearer comes"
L Thnro nrn q onn Ala.