'Iraq al-Amir or Araq el-Amir (Arabic:عراق الأمير - literally, "Caves of the Prince") is the name shared by a town and nearby caves, within the municipality of Amman in the Jordan Valley. Located about 15 km southwest of the town of Wadi as-Seer, it has a population of about 6000 people, mostly members of the Abbadi tribe. It is located on hills with high and medium altitude, in an area with many springs and famous for its olive trees and other forest trees.
There are many caves in the hills which were inhabited during the Copper Age. There are also remarkable Roman-Byzantine architectural remains. It is a large cave church – closed because of on-going excavations –, and a second church built outside right in front of it. The entrance of the cave can be identified by a façade decorated with a pediment with crosses. The site is called Mugharat al-Kaniseh (Cave of the Church) by the local community.
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