Al-Turra is a Jordanian city located in the Irbid Governorate in the far north of the country near the international border with Syria.History of the city of Ramtha and its brigade, Farouk Sarihin, page 95 Al-Turra is the largest community within the Hauran Plain Municipality and is therefore considered its main center.Ministry of Municipal Affairs Archived March 22, 2018, at Wayback Machine. Its population in 2017 was 34,948,Jordan Yearbook 2017 Archived August 25, 2018, at Wayback Machine. the seventh largest in Irbid Governorate.This is after Irbid, Ramtha, Idun, Beit Ras, Sarih, and Hassan. It has an area of about 28,000 dunums (28 square kilometers).Studies in the Social Archaeology of Villages in Irbid Governorate: Bushra, Sal, Huwara, Tura, Zaidoun Muhaisen, Jordanian Ministry of Culture, 2007 Al-Turra's territory extends to the east and north, bordering the Syrian border, while Al-Shajara and Ramtha's territory borders it to the west and south.
Since ancient times, Al-Turra has been known for its cultivation of grain, which for many years was the only agricultural crop in the city and the entire Hauran Plain region.In the Shores of Jordan: Tours and Sightings, Ahmed Ouidi Al-Abadi, Dar Al-Fikr, 1987The plains of Horan ... Rome no longer remembers the Ramthawi wheat - Russein Archived May 06, 2018, at Wayback Machine. It was only in the last quarter of the last century that, with a few exceptions, the cultivation of trees such as olives and, to a lesser extent, figs, grapes, pomegranates and other crops became known. The valley that runs through it is known as Wadi al-Shumar because of the abundance of Shumar (Fennel) plants that grow there. The city is divided into the areas of Al-Kuklia, Al-Foul, Al-Halan, Al-Khalla, Barak, Barak, Al-Homs, Al- Tahuna, Muqatil Al-Dawla, Al-Manakh, Al-Manizla, and Al-Sultani, which was named after Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars, who donated it to Jerusalem, among other things.Islamic Endowments in Palestine and their role in confronting the Israeli occupation, Dr. Sami Muhammad Salahat, page 152A Dictionary of the Names of Cities and Villages in the Southern Levant: A Linguistic-Historical-Archaeological Study on the Names of Cities, Villages and Hills in the Southern Levant, with the latest statistics, ancient and modern, Mounir Theeb, 2010, Dar Al-Arab for Studies, Publishing and Translation, Dar Al-Arab for Studies, Publishing and Translation The history of Al-Turra goes back to ancient times, where the Ten Cities Tunnel appeared in the early Roman era, and this canal stretched from Al-Turra to Gadara through several areas."The Decapolis Tunnel is Jordan's most important archaeological discovery". Jordanian newspaper Al-Rai. March 20, 2012. Archived from the original on 2019-03-28. Accessed on 2019-03-28. A group of Greek inscriptions and tombs have also been found in Turra. During the Mamluk period and the early Ottoman period, the city was an important postal point, where the Mamluk built a lighthouse for postal purposes and to guide travelers. They also donated agricultural lands of Al-Turra for charitable endowments and schools. The Mamluks built a lighthouse for postal purposes and to guide travelers, and they also endowed agricultural lands of Al-Turra for charitable endowments and schools.
The city is surrounded by the cities of Al-Ramtha and Al-Shajarah, and is very close and adjacent to Amrawah and al-Mughayyir, as well as bordering Tell Shihab and Daraa from the Syrian side. The city is located on a plateau with an average altitude of 478 meters above sea level.Bethany J. Walker, Mohammad Shunnaq, David Byers, Muafaq Al-Bataineh, Sophia Laparidou, Bernhard Lucke & Atef Shiyyab (2011). "North Jordan Project 2010: Tura Survey". Jordanian Department of Public Antiquities in English. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 04/17/2021. It is also characterized by its climate, which is part of the Mediterranean basin climate, but can fall under the influence of rather high temperatures at some times of the year. Like other areas of the Hauran Plain, it is characterized by its flat land and the fertility of its soil. Like other parts of Jordan, Al-Turra has a similar population in terms of customs, traditions, and origins; most of its inhabitants are of Arab tribal origin.
Geography The city belongs to the Al-Ramtha district of the Irbid governorate in northern Jordan, and Al-Turra is located between the Shumar Valley. To the west and south, and Syria's Wadi al-Madan, near the Syria-Jordan border, to the north and east. The city is located 8 kilometers north of Al-Ramtha and 35 kilometers northeast of Irbid. It is also 4 kilometers to the east, 4 kilometers from the nearest community of Al-Shajara, and 5 kilometers from the Syrian town of Tell Shihab.Studies in the social archaeology of villages in Irbid Governorate: Bushra, Sal, Hawara, Tura - Mohsen Zaidoun - Jordanian Ministry of Culture - 2007 The city is connected by a network of roads with neighboring cities and towns, and it is mentioned that the first road in the area was built in 1960 AD, which is the road from Ramtha to Al-Shajara, passing through Al-Turra. The Al-Madan Bridge connecting the two banks of Wadi Al-Madan from Al-Turra and Tell Shihab was built in the nineteenth century but was soon destroyed due to neglect, as it was located on the new borders between the then-emerging states. Being located in the Houran Plain, Al-Turra, like other cities and towns in the Jordanian and Syrian parts of Houran, is characterized by a flat nature, and these flat areas are interspersed with a group of small hills, as Al-Turra itself rises on a hill that is considered higher than all the surrounding hills.Travels in Syria and the Holy Land, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, Page 246, Year 1822, Published by African Association Regionally, the city can be divided into three main districts: The Eastern District, the Western District, and the Southern District, and the Commercial Center can be added as a fourth major district. Recently, urbanization has begun to spread to the northern part of the city.
Climate The climate in Al-Turra is generally mild, with a Mediterranean climate being the predominant type. Summer temperatures are high and reach their highest levels in the middle of the eighth month of the year, sometimes reaching the mid 30's Celsius. On occasion, temperatures have reached 40 degrees Celsius. In January, temperatures occasionally drop to zero or below, resulting in brief snowfalls that do not typically accumulate on the ground. The climate is characterized by mild temperatures during the spring and fall seasons. In some months, such as June, July, and August, precipitation levels are minimal, with rainfall rates reaching zero. The highest rates are observed in the months of December, January, and February."Jordan Meteorological Department". Jordan Meteorological Department. Accessed on 2009-02-12.
History
Name origin
In his work Mukhtar Al Sahah, the author provides an insight into the linguistic origin of the town's name. " The term "Al-Turra" is used to describe the cuff on the side of a garment that lacks fringe. In this context, it is defined as the edge of a river or valley. In Arabic, Al-Turra signifies that the border of any entity is its defining feature. The plural form is Torar. In addition, it signifies a corner."Mukhtar al-Sahahah, Sheikh al-Imam Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Abd al-Qadir al-Razi, under the root (Tarar)
In accordance with the available evidence, the appellation Al-Turra, by which the town is designated, is understood to signify, in Arabic lexicography, a limb, a corner, or a summit. Al-Turra was delineated by the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt during his passage through the area, noting that it is situated on a series of low plateaus. This observation lends credence to the hypothesis that the name may have originated from a conceptualization of height and elevation. Additionally, Al-Turra signifies a corner, which is the front and top of an object. Al-Turra is situated in close proximity to Shumar Valley in the west, which has been incorporated into the town as a result of the significant urban expansion, as well as Al-Madan Valley in the east. Some local residents assert that the town's original name was Al-Durra, which was subsequently altered to Al-Turra during the Ottoman era. Others posit that the name was originally a Turkish designation, Altara, or alternatively, other names such as Al-Tamah. Nevertheless, there is no corroborating evidence to substantiate this claim, as these names are embedded within folk narratives pertaining to the pursuit of hidden treasures. Al-Turra was referenced by its present designation in a multitude of historical texts prior to the Ottoman era. No alternative appellations are documented, such as Sobh Al-Asha as referenced by Al-Qalqashandi, or the historical account of King Al-Zahir as detailed by Ibn Shaddad.Sobh Al-Asha, Al-Qalqashandi, Amiriya Press, Cairo, 1919History of King Al-Zahir, Ibn Shaddad, ed. by Ahmed Hattit, Franzstaiz, 1983 In Mu'jam al-Buldān, Yaqut al-Hamawi references a village in Africa called Turra, noting that its name is derived from the Arabic word for the hem of a garment.Mu'jam al-Buldān, Yaqut al-Hamawi, Part IV, Bab al-Ta'a, al-Ra'a, and the following A village with the same name, Turra, is also located in Yemen, within the Ibb Governorate."Central Statistical Organization of the Republic of Yemen". Central Statistical Organization. Archived from the original on 2019-03-28. Accessed on 2019-03-28.
Ancient era
Archaeological evidence from the Greek period and earlier has been uncovered in the town and its surrounding areas. This includes graves, monuments, and inscriptions that provide confirmation of the human settlement of Al-Turra during that era. Since the reign of Pompeius and the emergence of Decapolis in the first century B.C., Al-Turra has served as a pivotal hub for the conveyance of water through the 140-kilometer-long Decapolis Tunnel,"The Decapolis Tunnel (Tura-Umm Qais) is the most important discovery of its kind in the world". Rum Online. Archived from the original on 2019-03-28. Accessed on 2019-03-28. colloquially designated as the "Pharaoh's Canal", in addition to the al-Turra-Umm Qais Tunnel.Abdel-Haleem Al-Malabeh, Ahmad. "The Decapolis Aqueduct Tunnel System (Al-Tura - Umm Quis, Jordan): The Longest in Antique History". Archived from the original on 2019-03-28. Al-Turra represents the principal gateway to the tunnel and constitutes the initial water collection point along its extensive route to Umm Qais, formerly known as Gadara. The Roman Emperor Hadrian initiated its construction in 130 AD, with the project spanning over 80 years and comprising numerous discontinuous phases. Al-Turra represents the convergence of the second and third phases of the tunnel. The initial phase extends from Dael to Daraa in the form of a shallow channel, while the second continues from Daraa with another shallow channel whose traces still remain east of the city of Al-Turra. The third stage extends from Al-Turra to Al-Shalalah Valley, and from this stage the tunnel begins its journey towards its ultimate destination, passing through several subsequent stages.(Decapolis) The most important archaeological discovery in Jordan - Al-Rai newspaper Archived August 13, 2018, at Wayback Machine. It is of interest to note that Al-Turra was part of the Arabian Roman province of Petraea. During the Byzantine era, the city became integrated into the second province of Palestine.Abdelhalim al-Maleh, Ahmed; Kempe, Stefan (March 2012). "The Yarmouk-Decapolis tunnel system: The most important underground discovery in Jordan in the last decade". 15th International Symposium on Volcanology. Hashemite University: 32. Archived from the original on 2019-12-11.
Islamic era