Jordan is a country that should be a must see on your list of places to visit and explore. Jordan has a long and deep history spanning what seems like the beginning of time, even though it did not officially gain recognition as an independent country until 1946. It is geographically located at what can be called the crossroads to the Middle East. Africa, Asia and Europe had to travel through Jordan's borders. Being located in this location means that Jordan has been at the center of everything sharing and absorbing multiple cultures over the centuries. Here I will discuss the different aspects of what constitutes Jordanian culture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To truly understand the culture of Jordanians you must first know a little about their history. Jordan has a long history of changing hands as different peoples spread out to conquer new lands. The earliest evidence of human presence in Jordan dates back to the Paleolithic, a period between 500,000 and 17,000 BC. It was only at the beginning of the Bronze Age that we have written records showing that Jordan traded with Egypt and Mesopotamia. Jordan would later fall under the rule of the Babylonians, the Persian Empire, the Umayyad Empire, the Abbasids, the Fatimids, the Ayyubids, the Mamluks and finally the Ottoman Empire. Jordan did not officially exist until after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the end of the First World War. . Winston Churchill invented Jordan in 1921 and it was under British rule as a colony. Britain organized and trained one of the best Arab armies ever created, called the Arab Legion. In 1948, this Legion was so effective that it conquered the eastern half of Jerusalem and much of the country's territory. The country's newly recognized leader was King Abdullah, a chieftain installed by Britain. Due to power struggles with Saudi Arabia and Egypt, King Abdullah had a better relationship with Israel towards the end of his reign. King Abdullah was finally assassinated outside a mosque on July 20, 1951. After King Abdullah's death, his grandson, King Hussein ruled the kingdom for more than 40 years before losing a battle with cancer in January 1999. progress towards the future of Jordan. Alliances were formed with specific countries such as the United States, Israel and Great Britain which provided economic resources, military weapons and humanitarian aid. This was seen as negative by other Arab nations but necessary for Jordan's progress. Jordan now annually organizes a joint military exercise/competition in which more than 30 different nations participate and show their loyalty to each other. One of the most interesting things about all these conquerors was that a nomadic tribe abandoned their way of life and settled down. This tribe was known as the Nabataeans and they settled in a place they called Petra. This is Jordan's biggest tourist attraction and souvenirs can be purchased anywhere in the country. This area is so popular as the Nabataeans were skilled craftsmen and built the entire city by carving into the sandstone cliffs. Houses, tombs, ministries and places of worship were decoratively carved. One of the most famous and inspiring things about Jordan is the art that is produced. Some of the main areas where art is concentrated are Irbid, Amman and the famous Madaba. Most of the artwork you will see in Jordan is your classic Muslim designs. Mosques are elaborately decorated with geometric designs throughout the building. Embroidery, ceramics and drawings aMosaic are some of the most sought after art forms to purchase. Mosaic is an ancient art form whereby an artist presses small pieces of colored ceramic into wet plaster. It could take years depending on the size of the drawing and image they were designing. Mosaics were very popular during the Byzantine-Umayyad period between the 5th and 8th centuries AD. This artwork was popular because it showed maps, people, villages and is great for detailing the past for scientists. Madaba is considered the home of mosaics and even has an institution whose sole job is to continue teaching people this specific art form (U.S. Department of State, 2018). Weaving is an art form that has been famous in Middle Eastern countries for centuries. Nomadic Bedouin tribes wove them as they traveled. Popular colors for weaving were orange, black, red and green. As these tribes began to settle due to modernization and the need not to travel, women slowly stopped weaving. Jordanians began to realize that this art form was dying and began working to find a way to save it. With the help of other organizations the Bani Hameeda project now exists. This project encourages women to weave and provides supplementary income to both urban and rural women. Another dying art form in the Middle East is glass blowing. This is mostly the case because of the amount of time and energy that must be invested in learning the craft. The art begins with taking a piece of glass and blowing it into a hollow pipe while manipulating the shape you are producing. This art form is slowly moving from the northern city of Hebron towards Amman. Sand-filled glass bottles are another popular use for these bottles. Jordan has over twenty natural shades of sandstone. With these different colors it is not necessary to use dyes. Some say that Mohammed Abdullah Othman of Petra was the first to do this and that everyone else is just imitating him. Jordanian cuisine is a must for anyone traveling to the region. It is often considered the best Arabic food in the region. Whenever someone is invited to a home or meeting you are not required to bring anything. The person who invited you is your host and provides everything you may need. It is also customary to eat everything that the host offers you. The national dish is called Mansaf and is a traditional Bedouin specialty. The dish is seasoned lamb that is cooked in dried yogurt. It will commonly be served on a large plate with plenty of rice and sprinkled with various types of nuts. This dish requires hours of preparation and is commonly served only during special occasions such as anniversaries, weddings, birthdays and other important social occasions. Embroidery is an important art centered on Jordanian women and has begun to see a rise in the fashion industry. Using skilled embroidery and rich Middle Eastern fabrics they can create beautiful jackets and the even more popular prom and wedding dresses. Almost at any time of the week you can see these dresses in five-star hotels at weddings or other celebrations. This has a simple root where it comes from. Traditionally, Jordanian girls were judged on their abilities. Embroidery began to move from clothing to other common household items such as pillows and curtains. Traditional colors range from purple, brown, pink with additions of bright gold, green and orange. Some of the common images are flowers, feathers, triangles and common Arabic geometric designs. The Jordanian population is made up of approximately six and a half million people. The languageThe main spoken language is Arabic and the most common religion is Islam. The best-known holiday celebrated by all Islamic followers is Ramadan. Ramadan typically lasts 30 days and always falls in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This means it always changes from year to year. This time is for you to reflect on yourself, go to a mosque, feel closer to God and pray five times a day. During daylight hours it is forbidden to eat, drink, chew gum, spit in public, have sex and if you are in public it is mandatory to wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers. In some countries even foreigners have to abide by these rules otherwise they will face a heavy penalty from the referees. Jordan is more progressive and does not enforce these rules. Laylat Al-Qadr is the moment when the Prophet Muhammad recited the first verses of the Quran. It usually falls on the tenth last day of Ramadan and is an important time for people to attend a mosque, read the Quran and ask for forgiveness. Eid Al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. On the last day, when the sun is beyond the horizon, celebrations consume the entire country. Large dinners with people sharing food and celebrating are a common practice on this day. The holiday of Ashura is different in the eyes of Shia and Sunni Muslims. Sunnis see this day as a celebration of when Moses and his followers were saved by the Egyptian Pharaoh. While Shia Muslims see this day as a time of mourning. The reason for the mourning is that it is believed to be the day the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad was assassinated in 680 ADA. In all these holidays it can be seen that almost all major holidays in Jordan are Islamic and were brought to Jordan under Ottoman rule. This does not mean that other religions do not exist within its borders. Being located near Palestine, Israel and other neighboring Arab countries, Jordan is in a unique situation. In Jordan the population is very accepting of other religions, especially Christianity and even Judaism. It is important for Jordanians to believe in God. People know that Islam, Christianity and Judaism all believe in the same god but they just have a different way of worshiping him. It is not uncommon to see a mosque and a Christian church next to each other and people greeting each other as they pass by. Jordan, however, being still a Muslim nation, has Islamic values ​​in its legal system, but is among the most lenient of other Muslim nations. An example is that according to Islamic law, women inherit half of what a man deserves. This law applies not only to Muslims in Jordan but to all religions. One of the most common Islamic laws still seen in Jordan today is the separation of the sexes. Women and men stay in their own groups and do not interact with each other unless they are married or have a family. Women also continue to hide, but not as extreme as in other countries such as Saudi Arabia. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Jordanian culture is one that has deep and long ties throughout history. Being the crossroads between the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa, many different cultures have had an influence on Jordan and Jordan has influenced them. Jordan is at the center of what is considered the Holy Land and has links not only with Islamic traditions and customs but also with Jewish and Christian ones. Traditions of making art with the hands such as weaving, mosaics, glass blowing, embroidery are all preserved and are seeing a rise in popularity even during the 21st century. Jordan is also making great strides to preserve ruins like the city, 46(2), 187-199.