Irbid - Deep beneath the historic village of Umm Qais, an ancient Roman tunnel stretches 420 meters through bedrock, offering a remarkable window into one of humanity's most impressive early water engineering achievements.
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The tunnel, considered among the longest of its kind in the world, is part of an intricate 170-kilometer network of Roman-era underground waterways, according to Ziad Ghuneimat, Director of Irbid Governorate Antiquities.
"This water system demonstrates the remarkable engineering genius of the Roman period," Ghuneimat told Jordan News Agency (Petra). "The tunnel network could transport fresh water over vast distances, serving the ancient city of Gadara, as Umm Qais was known then."
First discovered in 1989 during excavations by the Department of Antiquities, the tunnel has recently been restored through a $160,000 grant from the U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Heritage Preservation.
The 2018 restoration project, led by Yarmouk University's Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology in collaboration with the Department of Antiquities, has transformed the site into a unique tourist attraction.
The tunnel's strategic location offers views of Lake Tiberias, the Yarmouk River, and the Golan Heights, highlighting the ancient builders' strategic thinking. Beyond its primary purpose of water transportation, Ghuneimat suggests the tunnel likely served as an emergency shelter for the city's residents.
Visitors can now explore the tunnel's sophisticated engineering features, including, intersecting passages at different levels, original plasterwork preserved on the walls, hellenistic-era wells for water collection, multiple emergency exits and staircases and strategic ventilation systems.
The Jordan Heritage Revival Company now manages the site, which admits limited groups accompanied by specialized guides. Modern lighting allows visitors to appreciate the detailed rock formations while maintaining the tunnel's historical integrity.
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