Management and enhancement of the archaeological site of Prophet Elias in Jordan (2023 – ongoing)

In March 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the EKBMM and the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Archdiocese of Kyriakupolis. The Memorandum was signed by the President of the Administrative Board of the EKBMM, Professor of Byzantine Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Mrs. Natalia Poulou, by the Director of the Department of Antiquities of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Jordan, Professor Fadi Bala’awi, and by the Archbishop of Kyriakoupolis, Christoforos. The subject of the Memorandum of Understanding was the preparation and implementation of a Management Plan for the archaeological site of Prophet Elias.

The impressive archeological finds of the ecclesiastical complex of the Pilgrimage of Prophet Elias are located on the top of a hill with an altitude of 900 meters, near the town of Ajlun, on the road connecting Pella and Gerasa. An extensive building complex has been excavated at the site, consisting of a particularly large early Christian basilica and other annexes, decorated with impressive mosaic floors.

After the signing of the Memorandum and in the period that followed, delegations of the ΕΚΒΜΜ visited Jordan in order to organize the project and to plan the necessary studies of the archaeological site of Prophet Elias. In the summer of 2024, the study for the conservation of the mosaics of the archaeological site was prepared and submitted to the Jordanian competent bodies for approval.