At 10,000 years of age, this major Palestinian city in the West Bank near the Jordan River is the oldest and continuously-inhabited city in the world. It is also the lowest, situated about 800 feet below sea level. Once an ancient Canaanite city, the Arabic name for Jericho is Areeha, meaning fragrant. Areeha is derived from the Canaanite word Reah, which also meant fragrant.
From being captured by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C. and turning it into a royal resort to the setting where Jesus Christ was tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread to the exquisite palaces and mosaics of the Arab Muslim Ummayad Dynasty in 743, Jericho’s history is rich and vibrant. To view a clip of Jericho, please see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMvjg5r2mbU
In 2010, a massive 1,200-year-old carpet mosaic covering the floor of an Islamic palatial bathhouse was unveiled for visitors. It measures nearly 900 square meters (9,700 square feet), making it one of the largest in the Middle East.
