Gharandal

The archaeological site of Gharandal, identified with ancient Arindela, is located in the Tafilah Governorate in southern Jordan. The town rose to prominence during Byzantine times, becoming a significant center in the Roman province of Palaestina Salutaris. It was an important Christian bishopric, with its bishops participating in notable ecclesiastical councils like the Council of Ephesus in 431 CE. The site witnessed a transition in the 7th century CE when it was conquered during the early Muslim conquest of Syria, leading to its incorporation into the Islamic military district of Damascus. The 9th-century records mention that the town was primarily inhabited by Ghassanid and Balqayn tribes. Today, the remnants of Byzantine and Islamic Gharandal are largely overshadowed by the modern town of the same name. This site provides valuable insights into the religious and sociopolitical transformations in the region from the Byzantine to the Islamic era.