The souks of Jordan are a real spectacle for the senses. The Arab trading tradition is legendary and here it takes on a special color. However, here haggling is not as common as in other countries in the region, so it is advisable not to go overboard if we do not want sellers to end up annoying with us.
What can you buy in Jordan? The most representative products of the country's culture are the mosaics and ceramic figures, made in clay from the Hebron deposits, the famous Madaba carpets and tapestries made according to the Palestinian tradition, all kinds of embroidery, leather goods, carvings made of olive wood, handmade glass ...
Jewelry deserves a separate chapter. The souk of Amman has endless corridors of stalls where gold and silver they come to blind the view of the visitors. There are some charities that under the auspices of the Jordanian royal family provide work in goldsmith workshops to the most disadvantaged Jordanian women. Silver creations with their typical embossing are highly appreciated.
If we are looking for more typical souvenirs we have at our disposal some curious bottles filled with sand that allow us to take a small part of desert to our house. And of course the hookah, the water pipe, with its corresponding set of coffee or tea cups.
All the cities of Jordan have interesting souks, especially the capital and the southern city of Aqaba, due to its status as a free port. Here the specialty is spices, in other places, like Petra, vendors offer archaeological remains often of dubious authenticity, such as coins of Roman or Nabataean origin. If they are false it is a fraud and if they are authentic, too, since they are the result of the constant looting of Jordan's cultural heritage. It is also illegal to buy coral objects, although it is common to find it for sale in the towns near the Dead Sea.