MUKAWIR - Perched 800 metres above sea level, nestled in the rolling valleys of the Mukawir area lie the remains of the towering fortress of Herod the Great, a centre of power in the ancient world.
Known as Machaerus in ancient times, the palace features several fortifications marking it as one of the largest pre-crusades structures in the region.
Although the initial infrastructure dates back to 100BC, the site was expanded and made famous in 30BC under Herod the Great, who ruled much of the east bank of the Dead Sea.
But the palace is best known as the site where John the Baptist was imprisoned and later beheaded by Herod Antipas, Herod the Great's son, for objecting to the rulers' marriage to his brother's wife.
Modest reconstructed columns adjacent to a deep cistern mark the palace hall where Salome danced for Herod, who was so enchanted with her performance that he promised to give her anything she wanted.
Goaded by her mother, Salome is said to have asked for one thing: the head of John the Baptist, on a platter.
On the side of the hill are an extensive networks of caves, one of which is said to be the site where the subsequent gruesome execution of John the Baptist took place.
Workers at the ancient site, however, acknowledge that they "forget" which exact cave marks the site of the beheading, but insist that one of a few select caverns mark the spot where Herod reluctantly kept his word and had the spiritual figure beheaded.
Less than an hour's drive from the capital, some 60 kilometres outside Amman, the site offers visitors not only a voyage into history, but also features pleasant hiking trails and panoramic views of the Dead Sea.
With revamped stairways leading visitors to the castle, the well-served site still remains one of the Kingdom's overlooked treasures; its location off the King's Highway is sometimes difficult for tourists to reach on public transportation and often skipped by guided tours with loaded schedules unable to fit in time for the scenic ruins.
Thirteen-year-old Muath, who helps watch over the site, said that although busloads of tourists visiting the area are few and far between, the lack of a consistent tourist flow has preserved its sanctity.
"It gets real quiet here during the day. It's nice just to see the history and contemplate," he said, adding that he often camps on the hill and the outlying areas to take in the scenery.
Hidden sites, such as the palace's lower chambers, bathrooms, and even what he claims to be the throne room, allow visitors to reenact history at their leisure.
"At Mukawir, you can act like a king," he boasted.
By Taylor Luck
© Jordan Times 2009
