The Islamic Palace of Shuqayra Al-Gharbiyya, Dhat Ras, Al-Karak

This paper presents results of recent excavations conducted by Mu’tah University in Shuqayra al-Gharbiyya near Dhat Ras, Karak. These excavations have uncovered parts of an Early Islamic (Umayyad\Abbasid; first – third century H / eighth-ninth century AD) palace that has been reused during the Ayyobid Mamluk, Ottoman and modern periods. The function of the building has been established based on architectural comparisons with majestic Umayyad building known from other areas in Bilad ash-Sham such as Hisham’s Palace in khirbat al-Mafjar near Jericho, Khirbit al-Minya on the Tiberias lake and the UmayyadPalace on the citadel of Amman. The chronology of the occupation in the building was worked out based on a comparative analysis of the pottery and numismatic evidences. The discovery of the palace is considered a new addition to the subject of Umayyad imperial edifices that are clustered in the steppe area and Jordan valley, and its presence in the Karak Plateau indicates to the importance of the area during the early Islamic Period.