Dan Snow explores Biblical lands, discovering the places where religion and history intersect on the east bank of the River Jordan. It is a region full of evidence of the connections early Christians made here with places and events in the Bible, from Moses to the baptism of Jesus.
The journey begins overlooking the Jordan Valley on Mount Nebo, the site of the death of Moses and a place of pilgrimage for centuries.
Near Mount Nebo, at Madaba, Dan discovers one of the most extraordinary maps of the ancient world, created by the Christian community here in the 5th century AD. It is a spectacular layout of the Holy Land and the world as these early Christians saw it, from Egypt to Lebanon, including a detailed representation of Jerusalem with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at its heart.
Travelling to the banks of the River Jordan itself, Dan then encounters archaeological discoveries revealing the veneration of this place’s association with Elijah and John the Baptist for centuries. This is believed to be Bethany Beyond the Jordan, a location where faith and history coincide as excavations have uncovered 5th century AD buildings commemorating the spot where early Christians believed John baptised Jesus and where His ministry began.
This is a fascinating journey into the past and the powerful connections made between faith and real places on the ground for millennia.
There is more information about the Baptism Site here:
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1446/
https://www.baptismsite.com/books/BaptismSite_WhitePaper.pdf
To find out more about Jordan, visit: https://visitjordan.com/
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