The Jordan shopping
experience is a
combination of tradition
and modernity. For
tourits the common
souvenir can be the
water pipe, the so
called nargilah, or the
keffiyeh, the
traditional headdress
worn by Arabic men, or a
Backgammon set. More
typical for Jordan are
decorated bottles,
filled with brightly
coloured sands. They are
relatively low priced
and made by artisans in
Petra and Aqaba.
With hundreds of
producers and workers in
the traditional
handicraft trade in
Jordan, there are a
number of shops selling
excellent items, such as
hand-woven rugs and
cushions, glassware,
pottery, mother of pearl
marquetry, and
hand-embroidered
articles like caftans.
Usually made by Bedouin
women are the woven rugs
with authentic design in
the dark shades of
green, red, black and
orange. Every step of
the production from the
washing, carding,
spinning and dying of
the yarn to the weaving
is done by hand.
Especially the Bani
Hamida project wants to
preserve the ancient rug
weaving craft and to
provide the woman of the
Bani Hamida village with
an income. The products
can be found at the
Jordan River Foundation
shop near the First
Circle in Amman. Beside
rugs you can buy here
other high quality
handicraft and support
the work of village
women.
A popular souvenir are
Jordanian daggers,
locally known as
Shibriya. They consist
of a short, curved blade
and decoratively
engraved hilt in Bedouin
or Hashemite style.
Daggers are a
longstanding Jordanian
symbol of power and
grace.
Cheaper than in many
other countries is the
handmade gold and silver
work. The Gold Souq of
Amman in downtown
comprises over 50 shops.
The price of gold is at
a fixed rate per gram,
the cost of workmanship
on a particular piece is
added. Unique is also
the Bedouin silver
jewelry.
The best places to look
for ceramics and pottery
is in Amman and Madaba.
Madaba, south of Amman,
is the centre for mosaic
art, producing an array
of souvenirs and
handicrafts. In Jordan
you find also the
hand-made Hebron glass
like carafes, bowls,
jars, vases and mugs
with the traditional
intense colours of dark
and light blue,
turquoise, dark red, and
light and dark green.
The most diverse
shopping you have in
Amman. Stroll in the
traditional downtown
area offering cheaper
products and a cultural
experience, and one of
the last place where you
can try your bargaining
skills in Jordan. Or
search for the latest
fashion in designer
boutiques in Shmeisani
or Abdoun. Interesting
is the area Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq
Street (known as Rainbow
Street), Gardens Street,
Jabal Al Hussein and the
Wakalat Street in
Sweifeiyeh. Popular
shopping centres are
Abdoun Mall, Amman Mall,
City Mall, Mecca Mall,
and the Zara Shopping
Centre. A different
experience you can have
during summer at Jabal
Amman. Here every Friday
Souk Jara, a kind of
flea market, opens it
doors with handicrafts,
antiques, paintings,
handmade accessories and
entertainment.
