Syria: Archeological Treasure Revealed

Eighteen ancient tombs have been unearthed so far this year in the Tal Al-Ashari archeological site in the Region of Dara, south-west of Tafas, dating from the Neolithic, through the Classical to the Ottoman periods.

Thirteen of the cemeteries date back to the middle Bronze Era and the remaining five, to the Roman Era. Hussein Mashhadawi, Director of the Dara Archeology Department, declared that a total of 800 items have been found, these being pottery, tools made of bronze and various other accessories. The Bronze Era cemeteries date back to 2,000 BCE, when the Canaanites lived in the region.

At other sites in Mehajjeh, Jassem and Sheikh Maskin, numerous treasures have been found, including a Byzantine Era mosaic painting, ancient foundations, religious houses, grape crushing and olive grinding mills. At Sheikh Saad, a four-roomed house and a Roman Temple were discovered, along with a haul of coins and at Tal-Al-Ashari, metal objects, pestles and mortars, tobacco pipes, earthenware and glass vessels from the ottoman period.

The discoveries have been made over the last two months.

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY

PRAVDA.Ru