The Madaba Mosaic Map: The Oldest Map of the Holy Land Found Under a Church Floor

A map beneath the rubble

In the late nineteenth century, Christian families settled in Madaba, which was then a small village built over the ruins of an ancient town. As they built houses and churches, they kept finding beautiful mosaic floors from the Byzantine period. In the 1880s, while a new Greek Orthodox church dedicated to Saint George was being built on the site of an older church, workers uncovered a large mosaic that seemed to show places and names.

At first, few people understood what had been found, and some parts were damaged during construction. Its true importance was recognised in 1896 and 1897, when scholars came to study it and realised that this was a map of the lands of the Bible, made in the sixth century. News of the discovery soon spread around the world, and visitors and researchers began to arrive in the small town.

What the map shows

The map was made around the years 560 to 565 AD, and it once covered a much larger area of the church floor. It is oriented with east at the top, towards the altar. Even the surviving section is full of life. The Jordan River flows down to the Dead Sea, and the fish in the river appear to swim away from the salty water. Two boats sail on the Dead Sea, and palm trees mark the oasis of Jericho.

The most famous detail is Jerusalem, drawn as an oval walled city with gates, a main colonnaded street and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Many places are labelled in Greek, including the place called Bethabara near the Jordan River, linked to the baptism of Jesus, and the hot springs near the Dead Sea. Small details, such as a gazelle and a lion, add life to the scene.

Why it matters

The Madaba Map is the oldest surviving original map of the Holy Land, and it is precious to historians, archaeologists and pilgrims. It helped researchers identify ancient sites and understand how cities looked in the Byzantine period. In Jerusalem, for example, excavations later confirmed the line of the main street shown on the map. Experts estimate that the complete map was made from around two million small stones, called tesserae, in many natural colours. Only a part of it survives today. In 1965 a team of specialists cleaned and restored the remaining section to protect it for the future.

Seeing the map in Madaba

The map lies in the Church of Saint George in the centre of Madaba, which is still an active place of worship, so dress modestly and keep your voice low. Visit outside service times, and take a moment to walk around the edge of the map and find the Dead Sea, the Jordan River and Jerusalem. Madaba is often called the City of Mosaics. After seeing the map, you can visit the Archaeological Park, other churches with mosaic floors and a school where young artisans learn the ancient craft. Mount Nebo, with its own famous mosaics, is a short drive away.

Frequently asked questions