New Britain herald., 1927-07-27
DESERT AND DECAY
 IN TRANSJORDANIA
Land of First Philadelphia and
 Chess Nov Rotting

Washington, D. C.. July 27.-"All Christendom can visualize the loca- tion of the recent earthquake that shook Bethlehem. Jerusalem and Jericho in Palestine. but Transjor- dania, across the Jordan river. as the name suggests is a new and less familiar Arab state" says bull letin from the Washington, D. C. headquarters of the National Geo. graphic society.
 ''Transjordania did not exist until the league of nations, about seven years ago. decided to establish a state east of the Jordan. For some time after it's creation few persons more than 500 miles from it's borders knew where and what the kingdom was. A correspondent of the so- ciety who visited the new state in 1923 described it's creation as an act of the Versailles pastry makers, who, like so many cooks. had some dough left over after the molds were filled, 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 axe head, with the blade pointing southward toward the Red sea, the state lies on the north ern fringe of the Arabian Desert and includes the eastern shores of the Dead sea. But much of the re- zion, particularly that lying near the Jordan, is steppe land, support ing some flocks and occasional crops.
 Hike desert people. however, many of the half million inhabi- tants are nomads who wander about the area, pitching their tents where and as they please. This accounts for the slow development of the re- zion. Even the ruler, his highness, the Emir Abdullah 1bu Hussein, is virtually a desert prince and nomaa chieftain. Until recently he held his court not in a palatial palace but in a group of tents.
 Amman, Transjordania's capital, is about a five-hour automobile ride across the hot and dusty plains of Jericho and through the sizzling val ley of the Jordan river. which is L. 200 feet below the level of the sea. Amman, under various names, has been the capital of this area for
 Dnh 1o{h m man, chief city of the Ammonites, almost from the days of Lot, from whom the Ammonites are said to have sprung. In the third century Ptolemy Philadelphus became the new lord and called the capital Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love.
 Once Scat of Greek and Roman
 Culture
 'No one visiting Transiordania to- day would suspect, at first glance, that this land was once the center of Greek and Roman prosperity. Greek culture flourished in the east after Alexander's eastern conquests and during the reign of Ptolemy Philadclphus. Then Ttolemy took the rens of government, one of his first acts was to build a magnificent acropolis at Amman.
 'The main street of Amman winds around high hill upon which the Greek citadel once stood. Hard by are the ruins of q Roman thea ter and the broken stone benches of a Roman amphitheatcr which prob ably 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. No" the columns and stones arc frequent ly 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 of g. column. groups of squatting men, silent and almost motionless. play checkers or chess The Arabs assert they in vented chess.
 Everywhere in Transiordania, the mounted Arab is seen wearing his flowing native garb. His hat is perhaps the oldest form of head gear. It is 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