Department of Antiquities

What Department of Antiquities does

The Department of Antiquities (دائرة الآثار العامة) is a Jordanian government department established on June 27, 1923, by Emiri decree of King Abdullah I, making it one of the oldest government institutions in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Operating under the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, it holds statutory authority over all archaeological sites, museums, heritage properties, and antiquities affairs throughout Jordan under the Jordanian Antiquities Law. The Department is led by a Director General (currently Professor Doctor Fawzi Qasim Muhammad Abu Dhana, specializing in Classical Antiquities) who reports directly to the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and is administratively independent with a special budget.

Its core operations encompass four functional areas: regulatory services (electronic building permits, event permits for archaeological sites, and excavation and survey permits requiring 90-day advance submission), heritage site and museum management (10+ museums including the Jordan Archaeological Museum opened in 1951, Umm Qais Museum, Dar al-Saraya Museum in Irbid, Ajloun, Jarash, Salt, Maqaba, Mafraq, Amman Castle, and Qasr al-Hallabat museums), information services (a publications portal at publication.doa.gov.jo and a suite of archaeological databases covering sites, World Heritage sites, Islamic heritage sites, excavation records, and a library catalog), and public engagement through its website (490,059 visitors), Facebook, and Twitter channels. The Department manages 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites within Jordan and engages in extensive international cooperation, including long-standing partnerships with UNESCO, the German Protestant Institute for Archaeology, ACOR, and recent agreements with Georgia's National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation, the Syrian Antiquities and Museums Directorate, and the Jordanian Judicial Council for legal framework development.

As a government entity, the Department does not operate on a commercial revenue model. It is funded through the Jordanian state budget and supplemented by international cooperation agreements with entities such as the Gerda Henkel Foundation and the German Federal Foreign Office for specific restoration projects (e.g., Al-Roussan House in Umm Qais). Pricing for services is not publicly disclosed because all functions are governmental. Its customer base is horizontal and diffuse: Jordanian citizens, international and local researchers, domestic and foreign tourists, and educational institutions, with no fee-based service revenue. Digital infrastructure is limited to informational web pages, online permit forms, and accessibility features compliant with WCAG 2.1 standards; there is no API, SDK, or AI capability documented.

Name

Department of Antiquities

Legal name

Department of Antiquities (دائرة الآثار العامة)

Website

https://doa.gov.jo

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Department of Antiquities is a Jordanian government department (est. 1923) under the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities that holds statutory authority over all archaeological sites, museums, and heritage properties in Jordan, issuing permits and operating 10+ museums including 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites for citizens, researchers, tourists, and educators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Management

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (712120), Museums (712110)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAI

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYTHAJACAC

Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Attractions & Landmarks (Observation Decks, Monuments, Scenic Sites)

SECONDARYTHAJADAB

History Museums

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYBPAHAKAH

Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

Keywords

• Heritage management
• Archaeological services
• Museum operations
• Cultural preservation
• Government antiquities

Headquarters

HQ city

Amman

HQ country

Jordan

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Department of Antiquities is the Jordanian government body responsible for protecting and managing all archaeological sites, museums, and antiquities across the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It issues building, event, and excavation permits; maintains archaeological databases and a publications portal; operates a national museum network of 10+ museums including the Jordan Archaeological Museum; and collaborates with UNESCO, the Greater Amman Municipality, and international research institutes on heritage preservation, excavation, and training.

Product overview

The Department of Antiquities (دائرة الاثار العامة) is a Jordanian government department established in 1923 and operating under the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. It does not offer a commercial software product in the traditional sense; rather, it provides a suite of government administrative services including electronic building permits (in partnership with the Greater Amman Municipality), event permits for archaeological sites, excavation and survey permits, an online publications portal, and a network of archaeological databases covering sites, World Heritage locations, Islamic heritage sites, excavation records, and the department library. The department also operates and manages a network of regional archaeological museums across Jordan, including the Jordan Archaeological Museum (opened 1951), Umm Qais Museum, Dar al-Saraya Museum Irbid, Ajloun Museum, Jarash Museum, Salt Museum, Maqaba Museum, Mafraq Museum, Amman Castle Museum, and Qasr al-Hallabat Museum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Permit Service (تصريح البناء)
• Event Permit in Archaeological Sites (تصريح الفعاليات في المواقع الأثرية)
• Excavation and Survey Permit (تصريح أعمال التنقيب والمسوحات الأثرية)
• Publications Portal (المنشورات)
• Archaeological Databases (قواعد البيانات الأثرية)
• Right to Information Service (حق الحصول على معلومة)
• Jordan Archaeological Museum (متحف الآثار الأردني)
• Umm Qais Museum (متحف أم قيس)
• Dar al-Saraya Museum, Irbid (متحف دار السرايا)

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Jordan
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Jordanian Judicial CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2026Joint training program on legal protection of antiquities for the period January 8-10, 2026, addressing challenges faced by department staff and developing comprehensive legislative frameworks
• Georgia National Agency for Cultural Heritage PreservationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Memorandum of Understanding signed for institutional cooperation in archaeological research and cultural heritage preservation, focusing on archaeological studies at Georgian Monastery in Jabal Shiham, Karak Governorate
• Jordanian Friends of Archaeology AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Cooperation agreement for archaeological awareness and heritage protection, including awareness programs for local communities, schools, and universities, as well as exchange of expertise and specialized training programs
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO provides ongoing support to the Department of Antiquities through capacity building and training in heritage site management and protection. Jordan has 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organization of World Heritage Day celebrations and other national heritage events
• Greater Amman MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organization of World Heritage Day celebrations and national heritage events
• Syrian Antiquities and Museums DirectoratemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExploring cooperation for joint protection of Jordanian and Syrian archaeological heritage, discussing agreements for maintenance, restoration, and combating illicit antiquities trafficking
• German Protestant Institute for ArchaeologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership in archaeological excavations and restoration projects, including renovation of Al-Roussan House in Umm Qais
• ACOR (American Center of Oriental Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the American Center of Oriental Research, including Noujais Center for Antiquities Conservation

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Jor_antiquities
• Facebookfacebook.com/doa.jor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Department of Antiquities