This short, silent, amateur-made film is a “Sweeney Production” — unfortunately we don’t know who Sweeney was, but he /she was obviously a world traveler. This movie documents a trip made to the Holy Land and especially Jordan via British Overseas Airways. It likely dates to the late 1950s or early 1960s. The film shows various tourist sights in Jordan with historical significance to Christianity, such as the Dead Sea and the Roman ruins across the country. At 09:33 the late King Hussein of Jordan is seen standing at center of screen. He can also be seen at 09:57, 10:29 and 10:17 as well as other points of the film.
”Bible Lands” title banner (00:10). Passengers boarding a British Overseas Airways Corporation airplane (00:21). View from the airplane window during flight (00:35). “Jordan” title banner (00:54). Nature scenes from “Gerassa Park” (01:01). Visitors exploring the ruins in the park (01:22). A car checkpoint along the desert highway (02:27). Views of the capital of Amman (02:58). The Roman Theater in Downtown Amman (03:36). Construction work on the steps of the Roman Theater (04:03). Locals strolling in Downtown Amman (04:49). Two men enter a large building (05:40). A man sells vegetables out of a street cart (05:53). A truck drives on a mountain road (06:27). Young students marching in a schoolyard (07:32). Jordanian women holding Jordanian flags (07:55). Footage from the interactions between locals and visitors (08:16). A welcoming parade (09:04). Schoolboys marching in uniforms (09:20). Formal greetings between locals and guests including King Hussein (09:33). They proceed with a tour of the area (09:57). An exchange of handshakes and documents (11:54). The guest of honor King Hussein leaves in a Rolls Royce (12:49). Four men are sitting in a shaded garden talking (13:11). Three women are setting up a table of food (13:33). (13:51). A car enters Jericho New Park on the West Bank along the Dead Sea, which during the filming of this advertisement, was under the governance of Jordan (14:02). A hotel by the Dead Sea (14:36). Visitors bathing in the Dead Sea and floating on it due to high salt levels (15:08). A car is driving off-road in the wastelands (15:44). Visitors explore the desert wastelands on foot (16:28). A Bedouin man is walking with a small herd of goats (17:14). The car drives slowly through the rough terrain (18:41). The journey through Jordan continues (19:20). The car enters a vocational training center (19:48), followed by a visit to the Handicraft Market Center (20:17). A church (21:20). Terra Sancta College, a Christian school, still functioning to this day in the center of Amman (21:27). A small local factory (21:51). Local village children (23:01). The Palestine Archaeological Museum (23:54). “Jerusalem” title banner (24:34). Views of the Old City of Jerusalem, with the arabic name; Al-Quds, and Al-Aqsa Mosque (24:40). The Western Wall (25:12). A mosque construction (26:13). An American sponsored child aid clinic or hospital (27:48) Scenes from around the city (26:47). “End” on screen (28:30).
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
