754 Items
Dartlo
Dartlo is located above a ford in the valley. The closest building to the river is a ruined stone structure that, on closer investigation possessed the traces of a fresco of an angel. This had obviously been a church in the past and was the only evidence of Christianity encountered on the first visit to Tusheti in 2006. By 2016 the village was more developed and second only in size to Dzveli Omalo for tourist infrastructure.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Church, Dartlo, Fresco, Georgia, Tower, Tusheti
Dochu
This village is notable for the shrine at its centre. A large and substantial stone cairn is topped with stag antlers and females in our party were told that we were not to approach the structure. The local belief is that the fertility of the men of the village is damaged should women pass too close to the shrine.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Antlers, Architecture, Fertility, Georgia, Pagan, Shrine, Tusheti
Intervention 36, Cloister wall north of church
When the church structure was examined in detail it was discovered that the north wall was actually at least three walls built sandwiched against each other and rendered over to create a walk way along the northern wall of the cloister with a step up on to the church roof.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Church, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Excavation, Monastery, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War, Wall
Interventions 38/39, the area west of the church
Intervention 38 was a narrow trench to determine the conditions of the church foundations west of the church. The students from the DGAM later split this into 38/39 and they have both been included in this entry.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeological Finds, Archaeology, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Excavation, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War
Steps up from the monastery entrance
The steps up from the entrance clearly illustrate the fact that the ground level of the monastery is much higher than that outside the walls.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeology, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Excavation, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War
Intervention 35, trench south of the west end of the church
This trench was overseen by Wouroud Ibrahim of the DGAM and uncovered a series of small rooms that had been used for domestic purposes in the early C20th.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, C20th, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Excavation, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War
Intervention 38, West wall of cloister 
The west wall of the cloister was demolished by earth-mover in the 1990s when a cemetery was appended to the west of the monastery cloister. This wall was revealed in the second season of excavation.
Type: Archaeological Excavation
Tags: Archaeological Excavation, Archaeology, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Excavation, 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
Saydnaya Convent of the Virgin
Saydnaya means "Our Lady" and the town has evidence of very early Christian occupation. Dominating the settlement is the vast Rum (Arabic speaking Greek Orthodox) Orthodox convent where the sisters also care for orphaned girls. The convent has been expanded over the centuries, but its origins are believed to be C6th. It is most famous for its icon of the Virgin which is believed to have been painted from life by St. Luke and which is believed to help women praying for fertility.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Arab Orthodox, Architecture, Church, Convent, Monastery, Qalamoun, Rum Orthodox, Saydnaya, Syria, Virgin Mary
Restoration of the mud brick chamber adjoining the tower
These pictures document the restoration of the chamber adjoining the tower in the south east corner of the cloister.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Dayr Mar Elian, Dayr Mar Elian Archaeological Project, Qaryatayn, Syria, Syrian Civil War