Qasr Mshash: An Umayyad Caravan Halt in Photos

By Alex
Updated October 24, 2026

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Hidden on the edge of Wadi Mshash east of Amman, Qasr Mshash was a working Umayyad settlement of the 7th–8th centuries AD, probably a caravan halt, which probably developed from an earlier Roman-period watch-post. This album starts at the small square qasr, moves to the neatly built bath, the plastered reservoir and the rock-cut cisterns, and ends in the stony steppe and flood channels of the wadi.

In this album

38 photos of Qasr Mshash

Tap a photo to open it full size

The low limestone walls of the qasr on a rise in the steppe, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 01The Qasr on its Rise

A corner of the qasr built of large limestone blocks, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 02A Corner of Large Blocks

The qasr seen across sandy ground and green shoots, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 03Across the Steppe

A corner of the qasr walls in roughly dressed limestone, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 04Dressed Limestone

Courses of limestone blocks with a desert shrub in front, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 05Wall Courses

Tumbled walls inside the qasr under a cloudy sky, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 06Inside the Ruins

A long stretch of the qasr wall on the slope, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 07The Long Wall

The qasr walls against the low sun, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 08Against the Sun

The qasr wall rising above the slope, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 09The Wall on the Slope

A ruined corner of the qasr under a streaked sky, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 10A Ruined Corner

Fallen limestone blocks around the qasr, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 11Fallen Blocks

Tumbled walls of the qasr under dramatic clouds, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 12Under the Clouds

A sunken vaulted opening in the ground beside a stone wall, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 13A Sunken Chamber

Low walls of the bath and settlement seen from above, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 14The Bath Area

A line of low walls running across the bath area, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 15Low Walls

A corner of neatly squared stone walls in the bath, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 16Squared Stones

A wall of the bath in neat courses of squared stones, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 17Neat Courses

The end of a bath wall built of large squared blocks, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 18The End of a Wall

A round stone among the low walls of the bath area, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 19A Round Stone

A sunken space with a round opening between two walls, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 20Between the Walls

The stone edge of the reservoir with green shrubs, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 21The Reservoir Edge

The low walls of the reservoir under a cloudy sky, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 22The Reservoir

The reservoir walls under storm clouds, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 23Under Storm Clouds

Fallen stones inside the reservoir, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 24Fallen Stones

The edge of the reservoir beside an earth bank, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 25The Earth Bank

Stone slabs along the side of the reservoir, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 26Stone Slabs

Large stone blocks beside the reservoir, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 27Large Blocks

A line of upright stone slabs at the edge of a tank, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 28A Line of Slabs

A narrow cistern opening in the ground, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 29A Cistern Opening

A small hollow cut into the rock with loose stones, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 30A Hollow in the Rock

An eroded channel in Wadi Mshash under a hazy sun, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 31Wadi Mshash

The stony ground around the settlement, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 32Stony Steppe

Scattered stones of ruined buildings in the steppe, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 33Scattered Stones

Ruined walls spread across the steppe under a cloudy sky, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 34Ruins in the Steppe

The flat bed of the wadi under storm clouds, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 35The Wadi Bed

A deep channel cut by floods into the wadi floor, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 36An Eroded Channel

Flood channels and shrubs in the wadi, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 37Flood Channels

Young trees growing in the cracked wadi floor, Qasr Mshash, Jordan — 38Trees in the Wadi

About this album

Site

Qasr Mshash, Eastern Desert

Region

Eastern Desert

Period

Roman Period, Umayyad Period

Theme

Coordinates

31.8131° N, 36.3157° E

Photos

38 photos

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The low limestone walls of the qasr on a rise in the steppe, Qasr Mshash, Jordan

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