Faces: People, Places, and Cultures articles from November 2003

Faces: People, Places, and Cultures archives from November 2003

Editor's message.(facts about Jordan)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... Dear Reader, Located at the crossroads of the Middle East, Jordan and its people have played a significant role in the long and extensive history of the region. For centuries the land now known as Jordan was part of the Ottoman Empire. In...

Jordan.(At a Glance)
November 1, 2003... Official Name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Location: Jordan is located in the Middle East. It is bordered by Syria on the north, Iraq on the east, Saudi Arabia on the east and southeast, and Israel and the West Bank on the west. ...

Only in...Jordan.(the Dead Sea)
November 1, 2003... The Dead Sea in northwest Jordan is the lowest place on Earth. It lies 1,200 feet below sea level. If you traveled from Amman, Jordan, you would pass a sign that reads "Sea Level." Then you would have to drive down another 1,200 feet to reach...

The Hashemite Dynasty of Jordan.
November 1, 2003... Unlike most kings, Jordan's first king was not born a prince. King Abdullah I wasn't even born in the land that he would come to rule. Abdullah, born in the early 1880s, was from the Hashemite Royal Family. The Hashemites ruled the holy...

Bread with everything! The foods of Jordan.
November 1, 2003... Jordan's foods are hearty and satisfying. Many meals begin with a snack food, followed by soup, a main dish, an extremely sweet dessert, fresh fruit, and, finally, coffee or tea. But no matter what your meal consists of, unleavened, round,...

The ancient City of Petra: understanding and preserving it.(Petra, Jordan)
November 1, 2003... In October 1812, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, an Anglo-Swiss explorer and geographer, was traveling through Jordan on his way from Syria to Egypt. One day he overheard local people mention a lost city hidden in the mountains. Could they be talking...

Queen Noor: interview with her majesty.(Queen of Jordan)(Interview)
November 1, 2003... Queen Noor married King Hussein of Jordan on June 15, 1978. Born in the United States, she had first met the king in the winter of 1976 when her father, Najeeb Halaby, was chairman of the International Advisory Board for the Jordanian airline....

Traditional culture: etiquette and body language.(Jordanian culture)
November 1, 2003... Getting along without offending anyone in Jordan takes a little work. Whenever you are in public, or are visiting a Jordanian family, it is important to know how to behave so that no one is upset by your behavior. You need to know such rules as...

The Circassians of Jordan.
November 1, 2003... At the end of the great Russo-Caucasian War (1817-1864) more than one million Circassians were driven from their homes in the Caucasus Mountains. Most settled in lands controlled by the Ottoman Empire, where they could practice their faith...

Handicrafts in the desert.(Jordanian art)
November 1, 2003... Exhibits in Jordan's museums showcase its heritage of arts and crafts dating to ancient times. As visitors wander through shops in Amman and other cities, they see that Jordan's handicraft traditions are still thriving. "In Jordan...

Make Your Own Sand Bottle.
November 1, 2003... The brilliant hues of the desert near Petra mad Aqaba have inspired an unusual Jordanian handicraft: handmade sand bottles. Traditionally, artists used natural sand to make intricate geometric designs and desert scenes inside glass bottles....

Madaba's treasure: the oldest known map of Jerusalem.(church in town in Jordan has mosaic map of ancient Jerusalem)
November 1, 2003... Travelers from around the world I tiptoe into the back of St. George's Church in Madaba (MA-da-ba). This little town of 16,000 people sits high on a hill about 20 miles south of Jordan's capital, Amman. These travelers stand in hushed silence,...

Jarash.(ancient city in Jordan)
November 1, 2003... There is a place of beauty that rises in the northern part of Jordan. It is the ancient and elegant Roman ruins of an oasis town called Jarash (originally Gerasa). Small yellow flowers bloom among these ruins. Delicate anemones appear in the...

A desperate people.(Letters)
November 1, 2003... It was not the typical New Year's Day. Instead of the usual cold, winter climate, it was hot, humid, and tropical, and poverty was all around us. My family was spending a week in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. We were...

Think about it....(protecting endangered animals)
November 1, 2003... Thousands of different species of animals are on the brink of extinction. The World Wildlife Federation estimates that by the year 2025, Earth could lose one fifth of all species known to exist today. Animals are endangered for many...

Philly cheesesteaks: best in town!(Face Facts)(two cities named Philadelphia)
November 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: EXCUSE ME! CAN YOU SHOW US THE WAY TO THE DEAD SEA? The Jordanian capital city of Amman was called Philadelphia in the 2nd century A.D. when it was controlled by the Romans. Today, the most well known...

The oryx: and other vanishing animals of Jordan.
November 1, 2003... Viewed from the side, the two-horned Arabian oryx resembles the mythical unicorn. Unicorns exist only in myth and legend. Oryx are real, but almost became myth and legend before the Operation Oryx Project began at the Phoenix Zoo in 1962. ...

Jordan.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... by Susan Whitehead Learn more about everyday life in Jordan--what the land is like, how people dress, what's to eat for supper, and what day is good for visiting. This book is a good reference guide. Although light on pictures, the text is...

Cultures of the World: Jordan.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... by Coleman Smith This book is an extensive reference guide to Jordan for young people. All things Jordanian are discussed in colorful style with lots of photos. Topics include geography, history, government, economy, lifestyle, religion,...

Eyewitness: Bible Lands.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... Jonathan N. Tubb This book explores the lands of the Bible, which include the area we now know as Jordan. Crisp photographs of ancient objects are the focus. Reading this book is more like looking at a bright, colorful scrapbook full of...

The Dead Sea: The Saltiest Sea.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... Aileen Weintraub There's no place like the Dead Sea. Though no fish can survive in its water, humans enjoy it very much. This science-oriented book shows why the Dead Sea is so special, from the sea floor, up through the thick, salty...

Dress Through the Ages: Bedouin.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... Irene Franck and David Brownstone Over the past 5,000 years, Bedouins developed a distinct style of dress that served them well in the desert, as they roamed from Arabia across the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa. Their clothes...

The Hidden City of Petra.(Video)(Video Recording Review)
November 1, 2003... Let your imagination roam the city of Petra. See what's left of this ancient trade center: tombs, streets, temples, and canal systems. Modern archeologists and Bedouins share clues that connect what we see today with the lost history of Petra....

Al-bab.(On-line)(web site)
November 1, 2003... This site describes itself as an open door to the Arab world, and it's true! From the home page, you can look through the country guides, the news 'pages, or the special topics. The Jordan page includes links to the latest news, travel...

Arab Children's Congress.(Events)
November 1, 2003... This yearly summer event, now more than 20 years old, brings together children of ages 13-15 from throughout the Arab world for a week to promote understanding. Activities include drama and art workshops, and visits to Jordan's archeological...

One last face.
November 1, 2003... As in many other Arab nations, falconry is a popular sport in Jordan.