Oral Histories

Living Traditions & Memories

Today Umm Al-Jimāl's citizens are rooted in their present community and the past. While the site was not permanently reoccupied until the 20th-century and Umm Al-Jimāl has developed into a modern town over the past few decades, many residents still remember growing up among the ruins and swimming in the ancient Roman reservoir. This tradition continues to shape life in the town and region.

What do ancient ruins mean to modern people? How can communities interact meaningfully with archaeological sites? Since its inception the Umm Al-Jimāl Archaeological Project has explored these and related questions in conversation with Umm Al-Jimāl’s local residents. The results are fascinating, and have created new insights on cultural conservation. Because the town’s modern history is deeply connected to the ruins, living memory is a crucial part of understanding Umm Al-Jimāl.

The project's archive of oral histories preserves and celebrates the memories and deep connections to the ruins that local people continue to create. While dozens of interviews have already been filmed, they are ongoing and more will continue to be added over time. The video clips provided here are representative samples taken from several of the full-length interviews already completed.

Muhammad Adaman

Umm Hani

Umm Ayied

Sheikh Serour

Storytelling Videos: Voices of the Younger Generations

In 2023, The Umm al-Jimāl Archaeological Project (UJAP) and Story Center (https://www.storycenter.org/) cooperated in a virtual video storytelling workshop designed to provide local young people the opportunity to showcase pride in their cultural heritage identity through personal stories related to the ancient site at Umm Al-Jimāl while also helping them to acquire expertise in the technical aspects of film documentation. The

project was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) through its Cultural Heritage Exchange Initiative (CHEI). The primary aims were to re-enact the region’s ancient oral tradition to pass on Umm Al-Jimāl’s stunning heritage to from one generation to another, and to facilitate cultural exchange between Jordanian and foreign communities around the world through the stories of Umm Al-Jimāl.

The stories, written and produced by the young people of the local community, are creative and varied, sharing memories of personal experiences in the site, how the site factors into their own educational journeys, admiration of community members who have made a career of research in the site, and personal goals and aspirations inspired by the site.