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Dead Cities
The Dead Cities () or Forgotten Cities () are a group of 700 abandoned settlements in northwest Syria between Aleppo and Idlib. Around 40 villages grouped in eight archaeological parks situated in north-western Syria provide an insight into rural life in Late Antiquity and during the Byzantine Empire, Byzantine period. Most of the villages, which date from the 1st to 7th centuries, were abandoned between the 8th and 10th centuries. The settlements feature the well-preserved architectural remains of buildings such as dwellings, pagan temples, churches, cisterns and bathhouses. Important dead cities include the Church of Saint Simeon Stylites, Serjilla, Dahis, Serjilla, Ruweiha and Bara, Syria, al Bara. The Dead Cities are situated in an elevated area of limestone known as Limestone Massif. These ancient settlements cover an area wide and some long. The Massif includes three groups of highlands: the first is the northern group of Mount Simeon and Kurd Mountain, Mount Kurd; the se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Serjilla
Serjilla () is one of the best preserved of the Dead Cities in northwestern Syria, containing about 700 sites. It is located in the Jebel Riha, approximately 65 km north from Hama and 80 km southwest from Aleppo, very close to ruins of another "Dead City", Bara. The settlement arose in a natural basin and prospered from cultivating of grapes and olives. The presence of a bath complex indicates the wealth of the community. Serjilla, a Byzantine settlement, was built in 473. Thomas Joseph Shanan considered Serjilla as "Pompeii of the East". History Charles-Jean-Melchior de Vogüé, a French archaeologist, did the first scientific studies in 1860s. In 1899, an archaeological team from Princeton University discovered a large mosaic on the main hall floor, but it had disappeared when the team returned six years later. Traces of now destroyed murals were found on the walls as well. Next to the baths stands an ''andron'', a meeting place for men. Further east, there wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Idlib
Idlib (, ; also spelt Idleb or Edlib) is a city in northwestern Syria, and is the capital of the Idlib Governorate. It has an elevation of nearly above sea level, and is southwest of Aleppo. It is located near the border with Turkey. History A Neolithic settlement dating back to 8500 BC was identified at Tell Ain el-Kerkh, near Idlib. The Ebla tablets (2350 BC) mention the city of (du-ḫu-la-bu6-um "Duhulabum") which is most probably located at Idlib as suggested by Michael Astour and Douglas Frayne; a similarity exists between the sounds of the ancient and modern names. In the tablets, Duhulabuum is 22 km south of "Unqi" which might correspond to the modern village of Kaukanya, located 22 km northeast of Idlib. Thutmose III also mentioned the city with the name ''Ytḥb''. Classical Antiquity Idlib, along with the rest of Syria, was conquered by the Armenian king Tigranes the Great and incorporated in the Armenian Empire, only to be later conquered by the Ro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire (, ; ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. Uthman ibn Affan, the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a member of the clan. The family established dynastic, hereditary rule with Mu'awiya I, the long-time governor of Greater Syria, who became caliph after the end of the First Fitna in 661. After Mu'awiya's death in 680, conflicts over the succession resulted in the Second Fitna, and power eventually fell to Marwan I, from another branch of the clan. Syria remained the Umayyads' main power base thereafter, with Damascus as their capital. The Umayyads continued the Muslim conquests, conquering Ifriqiya, Transoxiana, Sind, the Maghreb and Hispania ( al-Andalus). At its greatest extent (661–750), the Umayyad Caliphate covered , making it one of the largest empires in history in terms of area. The dynasty was toppled by the Abbasids in 750. S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea'', a traditional Tree fruit, tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin) and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods, as a condiment, or as a salad dressing. It can also be found in some cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soaps, and fuels for traditional oil lamps. It also has additional uses in some religions. The olive is one of three core food plants in Mediterranean cuisine, with wheat and grapes. Olive trees have been cultivated around the Mediterranean since the 8th millennium BC. In 2022, Spain was the world's largest producer, manufacturing 24% of the world's total. Other large producers were Italy, Greece, and Turkey, collectively accounting for 59% of the global market. The composition of olive oil varies with the cultivar, altitude, time of harvest, and extraction process. It consists mainly of oleic acid (up to 83%), with smaller amounts of other fatty acids ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Wickham
Christopher John Wickham (born 18 May 1950) is a British historian and academic. From 2005 to 2016, he was the Chichele Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford and Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford; he is now emeritus professor. He had previously taught at the University of Birmingham from 1977, rising to be Professor of Early Medieval History from 1997 to 2005. Early life and education Wickham was born on 18 May 1950. He was educated at Millfield, a public school in Street, Somerset, England. From 1968 to 1975, he studied at Keble College, Oxford. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1971. He then remained to undertake postgraduate research and completed his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree in 1975 with a thesis entitled ''Economy and society in 8th century northern Tuscany''. Academic career Wickham spent nearly thirty years of his career at the University of Birmingham. He was a Lecturer from 1977 to 1987 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zawiya Mountain
Mount Zāwiya () or Mount Rīḥā () (also in medieval times: Banī-ʻUlaym Mountain ()) is a highland region in Idlib Governorate in northwestern Syria. Around 36 towns and villages exist in the Mount Zawiya region. The biggest towns are Rīḥā (Arīḥā) and Maʻarrat an-Nuʻmān. Location and description Mount Zāwiya forms the southern group of the Limestone Massif of the western Aleppo plateau. To the north and northwest of the mountain lies the Rouge Plain. The Ghāb Plain is on the western side. South of the mountain are the plains of Ḥamā, and on the eastern side are the plains of Idlib. The average elevation of Mount Zāwiya is 750 m. The highest point is Mount Ayyūb (939 m). The western side of the mountain is steep, but the eastern side slopes gradually. Many springs and streams arise on the western side and drain into the Rouge and Ghāb plains. The mountain includes two masses separated by a valley which has many archaeological sites, such as the anc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harim Mountains
Harim Mountains ( ) are highlands in the north of Idlib Governorate in northwestern Syria. The mountains are located in the Harem District, Harim and Jisr al-Shughur District, Jisr Shughur districts of Idlib Governorate. Location and description The Harim highlands are located between 36◦22′–36◦40′ E and 35◦46′–36◦14′ N on the westernmost part of the Aleppo plateau. They cover about 600 km2. The Orontes river valley forms the western boundary. Al-Ruj Plain () is located to the south. The Ruj plain and the northern Idlib plain run along the eastern boundary. The al-Dana, Harem, Dana plain (part of the northern Idlib plain) separates the Harim mountains from Mount Simeon to the northwest. The valley of Afrin River, River Afrin and Amik lake, Lake Amiq surround Harim mountains from north. The mountains include three massifs: Mount Halqa () and Mount Barisha () form the first massif from the east. Mount Halqa (meaning "circle mountain") refers to low rocky ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kurd Mountain
Kurd Mountain or Kurd Dagh (; ; , officially ) is a highland region in northwestern Syria and southeastern Turkey. It is located in the Aleppo Governorate of Syria and Kilis Province of Turkey. The Kurd Mountain should not be confused with the neighboring Jabal al-Akrad, which is located further southwest in Latakia Governorate. Location and description Kurd Mountain is a part of the Limestone Massif of northwestern Syria. The mountain is a southern continuation into the Aleppo plateau of the highlands on the western part of the Aintab plateau. The valley of River Afrin surrounds Kurd Mountain from east and south and separates it from the plain of Aʻzāz and Mount Simeon to the east, and from Mount Harim to the south. The valley of River Aswad separates Mount Kurd from Mount Amanus to the west. The main town is Afrin (Efrîn in Kurdish), in Syria. The area is known for its olive growing and charcoal production. The majority of the Kurd-Dagh population are Sunni Han ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mount Simeon
Mount Simeon or Mount Simon ( Jabal Simʻān ), also called Mount Laylūn (), is a highland region in Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria. The mountain is located in the Mount Simeon (district), Mount Simeon and A'zaz District, Aʻzāz districts of Aleppo Governorate. It is named for Symeon the Stylite a Christian who lived atop a column in the region for 37 years and for whom a large monastery complex was established. Landscape Mount Simeon is part of the Limestone Massif in the western part of the Aleppo plateau. It is located about 20 km northwest of Aleppo. The mountain runs for 50 km from north to south with a width range of 20–40 km and average elevation of 500–600 m. The highest point is Sheikh Barakāt (876 m) in the southern part of the mountain. The valley of River Afrin River, ʻIfrīn runs between Mount Simeon and Kurd-Dagh, Mount Kurd to the west. A'zaz, Aʻzāz valley marks the northern boundary of the mountain, beyond which lies the Aʻzāz pla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bara, Syria
Bara or al-Bara () is one of the former "Dead Cities" in northwestern Syria. It is located in the Zawiya Mountain approximately north from Hama and approx. 80 km southwest from Aleppo. Al-Bara is also a town in Ariha district. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), al-Bara had a population of 10,353 in the 2004 census. Its population is mostly Sunni Muslim.General Census of Population and Housing 2004 . Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Idlib Governorate. History The settlement was established in the fourth century at an important trade route between |
