- Collection: The Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project (DMEAP)
98 Items
Stone arcade running east from the site of the 1938 church
A stone arcade was revealed to be running further east than the 1938 church, on the same alignment of the church so that it suggested that the building was once larger and had contracted over time as the shrine had declined in importance.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Church, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Mar Elian, Mar Elian esh-Sharqi, Monastery, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War
Stripping off the cement cladding of the interior of the Mar Elian 1938 church
The cement cladding in the west of the church around the sarcophagus was stripped back to try and alleviate a damp problem. During this process the structural faults of the building were fully revealed and it became clear that the church had to be dismantled.
Type: Architecture
Tags: 1938, Church, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Mar Elian, Mar Elian esh-Sharqi, Monastery, Qaryatayn, Sarcophagus, Syria, Syrian Civil War
The Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project: Report on the 2002 Season Fieldwork
Two interim reports for the funding bodies (SAL and CBRL) explaining the progress of the first season of excavation at Dayr Mar Elian.
Type: Text
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War
The door to Dayr Mar Elian
The door to Dayr Mar Elian is one of the most ancient features still extant at the site. It is stone built, like the earliest courses of the wall on the south side, and inset in the later mud brick wall. The door is low to impede entrance as a security feature from earlier periods and the arch above the entrance has curved roundels with foliate motifs. Note in some of the pictures that there are bloody handprints above the interior door, these have been made by people sacrificing animals at the monastery and leaving handprints in fulfilment of a vow made to the saint.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Monastery, Qaryatayn, Syria
The entrance to Dayr Mar Elian
In this picture of the entrance to the monastery hand prints can be seen over the lintel. These were made by people making a vow to the saint and sacrificing an animal (goat or sheep) at the site and leaving a bloody handprint over the entrance to seal the prayer.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Door, Mar Elian, Mar Elian esh-Sharqi, Qaryatayn, Syria, Wall
The sarcophagus with metal bands to hold the object together
When the walls and base on which the sarcophagus had been standing were removed, cloth-wrapped metal bands were secured around the objects to keep it together and make sure that the tomb remained stable.
Type: Sculpture
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Mar Elian, Mar Elian esh-Sharqi, Qaryatayn, Sarcophagus, Syria, Syrian Civil War, Tomb
Trench to the east of the 1938 church, recorded as Intervention 7 after eighth day of excavation
This is a progress shot of the trench.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Excavation, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War
Trench to the east of the 1938 church, recorded as Intervention 7 after eleventh day of excavation
This is a progress shot of the trench.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Excavation, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War
Trench to the east of the 1938 church, recorded as Intervention 7 after fifth day of excavation
These are progress shots of the trench.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Excavation, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War
Trench to the east of the 1938 church, recorded as Intervention 7 after first day of excavation
This picture was taken from the church roof looking east and shows that the first day of excavation had revealed the top of a substantial stone wall.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Excavation, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War