- Collection: The Limestone Massif of North-Western Syria
63 Items
Qalb Lozeh
The church in the village of Qalb Lozeh ("Heart of the Almond") is the largest in the region and dates from the C5th. It is surrounded by the modern village and is one of the best preserved churches in the area, although the north side has been damaged and a new wall has been built to secure the monument. At one point the church had a bema in the nave, but this was removed and the outline of the former platform is still visible in the flagstones. It is also notable for its impressive western façade that is flanked by two bell towers.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bema, C5th, Church, Jebel Il'Ala, Limestone Massif, Qalb Lozeh, Syria, Tower
Qalb Lozeh 1992
A photograph taken of the church of Qalb Lozeh in December 1992.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bema, C5th, Church, Limestone Massif, Qalb Lozeh, Syria
Qatura
Qatura is one of the pre-Roman villages on Jebel Seman according to Tchalenko. It is notable for its C2nd monumental tombs of T. Flavius Iulianus and Aemilius Reginus (195).
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C2nd, Jebel Seman, Limestone Massif, Qatura, Syria, Tomb
Qirq Bizeh
Qirq Bizeh is the name of a small abandoned settlement to the north of Qalb Lozeh. A C2nd villa was converted into a church in the C4th or C5th and retains the internal liturgical fittings that clearly identify the ritual use of the building. It is very small, but houses a bema and has a raised platform at the east end that is divided from the rest of the chamber by a chancel screen. There is also evidence of reliquary chambers in the screen and small reliquary caskets elsewhere. The bema retains its 'throne' or pulpit and the ritual use of the house extends to the courtyard where extensive cisterns seem to have housed water or olive oil in antiquity.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bema, C4th, Jebel Il'Ala, Limestone Massif, Martyrium, Pulpit, Qirq Bizeh, Reliquary, Syria, Throne
Qirq Bizeh 1992
The village of Qirq Bizeh photographed in December 1992.
Type: Archaeological Site
Tags: Late Antique, Limestone Massif, Qirq Bizeh, Syria
Roman road
This paved Roman road is approximately one kilometre in length and intersects the road from Aleppo to Dana on the Limestone Massif.
Type: Landscape
Tags: Limestone Massif, Roman, Roman road, Syria
Ruweiha C5th church
Ruweiha is unusual for being the only village that had two churches with a bema, however in this case the nave-platform seems to have been dismantled when the church was superseded by a new, larger church in the village. Only the south and east sides of the building are still extant, but these survive in good condition and show that this was a substantial church, even if the later building in the village was even more impressive.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bema, C5th, Church, Jebel Zawiyeh, Limestone Massif, Ruweiha, Syria
Ruweiha Church of Bizzos
The C6th Church in Ruweiha is known by the name of its patron Bizzos. It is an exceptionally large building that has a wide arch span facilitated by the use of piers springing from cross-shaped bases, rather than the more usual arrangement of columns and capitals. In the 1990s it was well preserved, but several families lived in houses in the ruins of the structure. The mausoleum of the patron lies on the edge of the church compound.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bema, Bizzos, Church, Jebel Zawiyeh, Limestone Massif, Mausoleum, Pier, Ruweiha, Syria
Sergibleh
The C5th century church was very well preserved apart from on the south side, as the ruins were located at a short distance from modern dwellings. The only exception to this was the fact that the bema had been disturbed by looters.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bema, C5th, Church, Jebel Halaqa, Limestone Massif, Sergibleh, Syria
Sergibleh Tower
This tower stands in the village of Sergibleh on the Jebel Halaqa and was a form of high-density accommodation in late antiquity as well as a place of refuge for villagers at a time of attack.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Jebel Halaqa, Late Antique, Limestone Massif, Sergibleh, Syria, Tower