Roman baths discovered during city works in Jordanian capital

The haphazard discovery of Roman ruins in Amman sparked questions about the fate of antiquities in the city’s downtown area amid calls for expanding the excavations.
People watch as workers uncover the ruins of a recently discovered Roman archaeological site in the Jordanian capital Amman, on December 14, 2020. - According to local media, the archaeological site was uncovered during works to install a water drainage system. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP) (Photo by KHALIL MAZRAAWI/afp/AFP via Getty Images)
People watch as workers uncover the ruins of a recently discovered Roman archaeological site in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on Dec. 14, 2020. According to local media, the archaeological site was uncovered during works to install a water drainage system. - KHALIL MAZRAAWI/afp/AFP via Getty Images
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Mohammad Ersan
@JournalistErsan

AMMAN — Jordanian authorities discovered on Dec. 12 antiquities dating back to the Roman era underneath the main street of downtown Amman, when they were excavating the area for installation of a water drainage system for flood control.

The excavation operations, led by the Greater Amman Municipality in cooperation with the Jordanian Department of Antiquities, uncovered Roman baths with heated cellars and a crematorium, in addition to pottery pieces and two headless statues.

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