Syria: Important Archaeological Findings in the Ancient Palmyra

[Jenna Bluehut]

Syria: Important Archaeological Findings in the Ancient Palmyra      
By Ruaa AL-Jazaeri   
Tuesday, 12 January 2010 19:15
Syria_-_Palmyra




The archaeological expeditions have discovered many archaeological findings in the central Syrian Palmyra city, conducting many surveys, excavations and restorations during certain seasons.

[Jenna Bluehut]

The Syrian-Swiss expedition, working at Qasr al-Hir al-Sharqi Palace has conducted four surveys to the north of the palace with different dimensions through which the expedition unearthed the foundations of some buildings' walls made of mud and bricks.

Inside the buildings, the expedition unearthed clay pieces, bones and some glass pieces along with a big pottery, fireplaces and some artifacts made of plaster decorated with geometric and floral shapes, the most important of which are two broken artistic paintings, said Director of Palmyra Antiquities Department Walid Asaad.

He added that the first painting represents a knight riding a horse, wearing oriental garment and carrying a pigeon in his right hand, while the second painting represents a woman with combed hair, putting her right hand on her chest and her left hand on her abdomen with a braided ribbon around her head.

He pointed out that the two paintings are the first of their kind at the palace, adding that the Syrian-Swiss expedition works on expanding the surveys and excavations to discover more data and archaeological artifacts made of firestone and bones.

The Syrian-American expedition has conducted many topographical surveys at an archaeological hill to the east of Afqa Spring which believed to contain a temple for goddess Atargis in addition to discovering some clay pieces and bronze coins.

The Syrian-German expedition working at the site of Hellenistic Palmyra discovered some decorated clay pieces, animals' bones, looms and coins.

[Jenna Bluehut]

The Syrian-Japanese expedition, working at the house tomb No 129B at the center of the northern defensive wall, continued its geometric and topographic surveys.

The expedition is working on documenting the history of the tomb architectural style. It also works on restoring it through using advanced techniques based on three-dimensional laser scanners.

The expedition unearthed many tombs of little children under one or two years old. In some of the tombs there is a place assigned for the burial while other tombs are in the form of medium-sized clay pottery. Inside the pottery, you can see the bones of less than one year- old child.

The Syrian-Italian expedition working at the site of al-Mouh and Abou al-Fawares marshes has conducted several geomorphologic surveys at the eastern and southern sides of al-Mouh marsh as some of the settlement areas were discovered on the edges of the marsh.

Some of the tombs, dating back to the Bronze Age, were discovered at the site of Rajim al-Majdour (about 26 kilometers to the southwest of Palmyra city).

The expedition is carrying out surveys at the southeastern neighborhood of Palmyra city inside a building consisting of a courtyard with arches and corridors.

The building is similar to the buildings discovered at Bell Temple and its huge size indicates that it was either owned by an important personality at that age or it might have been an official building.

Excavations at the site also unearthed the foundations of buildings made of stone in addition to many coins, a circular clay lantern and parts of votive altars.

The Polish expedition working at Dioqsiyan, al-Lat Temple and Churches neighbourhood, continued its excavations at the fourth church through conducting a survey at the southern side of the church.

The expedition unearthed the foundations of adjacent rooms built of stone whose floors were made of stone slabs and several clay pieces dating back to the Abbasid era.

[Jenna Bluehut]

The Syrian national expedition has carried out many excavations and restorations at the site of the defensive walls, conducting a survey near the wall to unearth the ditch that has been filled up with earth throughout history.

The national expedition unearthed parts of smashed sculptures representing men and women such as the head of a bearded young man who has almond like eyes, the head of a priest wearing a clerical hat and the sculpture of another priest sitting on a chair and wearing a cloak with four legs of a predatory beast.

A rectangular terrace made of stone was discovered in the house tomb No. 174 by the national expedition which is working on restoring the tomb.

In the tomb No.207, the national expedition discovered three busts representing men and women, clay lanterns and some metal coins along with discovering some inscriptions in the tomb No.194 written in the Greece and Palmyrene languages indicating the name of the person who founded the tomb. In the tomb No 146, the expedition discovered a lot of clay and glass pieces and bones. (SANA)

Global Arab Network

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201001124343/Travel/syria-important-archaeological-findings-in-the-ancient-palmyra.html