- Collection: The Citadel of Zalabiyeh on the Euphrates
130 Items
Burned feature of Trench 1
This picture looks N and shows a burned feature of Context 1.03 in Trench 1.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Carbon, Castle, Citadel, Fortress, Syria, Zalabiyeh
Context 2.01 of extension 1 to Trench 2
This picture shows the first extension to Trench 2 at the level of Context 2.01 looking NE.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Castle, Citadel, Fortress, Syria, Zalabiyeh
Detail of a bone excavated from Context 2.03 in Trench 2
Detail of an animal bone being excavated from Context 2.03 in Trench 2.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Bone, Castle, Citadel, Fortress, Syria, Zalabiyeh
Detail of a threshold and area of burning in Trench 2 
This picture was taken facing N and shows a threshold and patch of carbon indicating burning discovered in Context 2.02 of Trench 2.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Carbon, Castle, Citadel, Fortress, Syria, Zalabiyeh
Detail of ceramic in situ in Trench 2
This picture shows a possible ceramic vessel being excavated in Context 2.01 of Trench 2.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Castle, Ceramic, Citadel, Fortress, Syria, Zalabiyeh
Details of a gypsum floor in Trench 1
These elements of gypsum flooring were discovered at Context 1.03 in Trench 1.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Castle, Citadel, Fortress, Gypsum, Syria, Zalabiyeh
Extension 1 to Trench 2
This shows the surface level of the first extension to Trench 2 looking NE.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Castle, Citadel, Fortress, Syria, Zalabiyeh
Finds record of the 2010 excavation season at Zalabiyeh
This Excel document records the finds that were collected and lodged in the Deir ez Zor Museum during the 2010 excavation season. These objects are now presumed lost or destroyed due to the IS presence in the town as a consequence of the Syrian civil war.
Type: Text
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeological Finds, Archaeology, Deir ez Zor, Museum, Syria, Syrian Civil War, Zalabiyeh
Fortifications, Zalabiyeh
The fortification of Zalabiyeh is recorded by Procopius who attributes the building of the defences to Justinian's reign. As with much of Procopius' testimony this claim must not be accepted out of hand. The remains of the defences show evidence of at least two major phases of building. The oldest phase is composed of ashlar faced walls with a rubble and concrete core, the later phase is made up of ashlars throughout. The later phase appears to have been only present in some of the towers and is certainly part of a renovation of the defences where some of the older towers needing replacing. These two different wall building techniques are mirrored across the river at the fortifications of Halabiyeh, Zalabiyeh's sister site. I have proposed that the site was not originally fortified by Justinian but was rather repaired during his reign and had older origins, potentially during the reign of Anastasius.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Anastasius, Citadel, Defensive Network, Deir ez Zor, Euphrates, Fortifications, Fortress, Halabiyeh, Justinian, Late Antique, Procopius, Syria, Zalabiyeh
General views of Zalabiyeh and the surrounding landscape
These images were taken on a first survey visit to the site on 9th April 2010 and show the extent of the extant remains, evidence of looting and views over the river in the direction of Halabiyeh.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Citadel, Deir ez Zor, Euphrates, Fortifications, Fortress, Halabiyeh, Landscape, Late Antique, Syria, Zalabiyeh