Every town has a
souk (
market) selling everything from clothes, pots and pans, meat and live chickens, to gold and silver jewelry. As with most countries in the region, the gold is usually 18kt or above and although the current price of gold is high, there is still no charge added for the craftsmanship of items like bangles, chains and earrings.
In more tourist-oriented towns, there is a wide selection of handicrafts. The chief of these is probably
mosaic. Continuing a tradition dating back thousands of years, new mosaic schools (especially around Madaba and Mt Nebo)
train young people to work with the colorful, locally hewn stone. The art of kilm-making (no-knap carpets or
woven rugs) is practiced by several women’s co-operatives (notably in Mukawir) using hand-carded wool and natural dyes.
Another distinctive local craft is ostrich-egg painting: the paint is applied with needle pricks and designs can take weeks to complete. In and around Petra and Wadi Mousa, shops specialize in
beads: although many items are imported from Egypt or Turkey (and even India), many co-operatives import lapiz lazuli (semi-precious blue stone), malachite (semi-precious green stone), yellow amber or red coral to make into a variety the necklaces and bracelets using
local silverwork.
Other hand-crafted items include
sand jars, filled with layers of multi-colored sand, light-weight,
hand-blown glass and
embroidered clothing. Bottled
Holy Water from the river Jordan can also be purchased. Shops particularly in Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan sell an assortment of rosaries and icons made of olive wood. For the health conscious, skin-care products made of
Dead Sea mud have become big business in all tourist-oriented shopping areas.
Shopping hours Sat-Thurs 0930-1330 and 1530-1800; some open as early as 0800 and close at 2000. Shops are closed on Friday except for the souks which usually open from 1600.
Currency Information:CurrencyDinar (JOD; symbol JD) = 100 piastres or 1,000 fils. Notes are in denominations of JD50, 20, 10, 5 and 1, and 500 fils. Coins are in denominations of JD1, 1/2 and 1/4; 10, 5, 2 and 1/2 piastres; and 1 and 1/2 qirsh.
Currency ExchangeForeign currencies can be exchanged easily in banks and bureaux de change. Most hotels also provide exchange facilities. The daily exchange rates are published in local newspapers.
Credit/Debit Cards and ATMsAmerican Express, Visa, Diners Club and MasterCard are accepted in hotels, restaurants and larger shops. ATMs can be found in most of the larger towns and throughout Amman.
Traveller's ChequesThose issued by UK banks are accepted by licensed banks and bureaux de change. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars.
Currency RestrictionsRestrictions apply.
Banking HoursSat-Thurs 0830-1500. Hours during Ramadan are 0830-1000, although some banks open in the afternoon.
Exchange Rate Indicators| Date | Jan 09 |
| £1.00= | JD1.03 |
| $1.00= | JD0.70 |
| €1.00= | JD0.94 |
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