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Simeon Citadel and Dead Cities

	Syrian Arab Republic (Arab States)
Date of Submission:	28/12/2006
Criteria:	(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)
Category:	Cultural
Submitted by:	Ministry of Culture
State, Province or Region:	Idleb and Aleppo (regions)
Coordinates:	N36 20 2.79 E36 50 40.96
Ref.:	5115

Description

The area of the limestone massif covers some 150x70 Km, stretching from Korosh and Apamea in the South to the plain of Ghab in the West and the city of Maarat al-Numan in the South. Within this region lie the remains of several hundreds villages dating back to late antiquity and the Byzantine era. The landscape of this area results of the combined efforts of men and nature and represents an extraordinary and rare example of preserved archaeological Mediterranean landscape, while the settlements show examples of rural domestic and religious architecture ranging from the 1st to the 7^th century CE.

This region can be subdivided into five major geographical areas: Jabal Sama'an, Jabal Barisha, Jabal Wastani Jabal Al A'la and Jabal Zawia. Among the almost seven hundred villages and some 1.000 Km2 of the massif area, seven particularly outstanding zones, presenting a unique combination of preserved natural landscape and archeological remains, are identified to be for registration on the national Tentative List in view of their nomination for the World Heritage List. These seven zones form a net of archaeological parks and are proposed for a serial nomination as a cultural landscape.

1. Jabal Sama'an

This mountain area, situated in the Governorate of Aleppo, covers an area of approximately 50x30 Km2, stretching from Qatma in the North to the valley of the ‘Afrin River in the East. Two archaeological parks are situated within this area:

1.1 St. Simeon Citadel and Village:

The first proposed Park includes major archaeological remains from Roman and Byzantine periods and notably the sites of: St. Simeon church and village, Sit al-Rum and Refadeh and Sheikh Barakat.

The Church of St. Simeon, built in 490 CE, was one of the largest and most important churches in the world in late antiquity. In the 10^th century, fortifications were built around it and hence known as "Qala" or castle. Pilgrims from afar came here to hear St Simeon the Stylite's preaches and the site became the destination of a mass pilgrimage. The ruins of the main Church occupy some 5000 m2, while the baptistery and its annexes cover 2000 more m2.

The Village of St. Simeon, located on the western slope of Simeon's castle to the north of the plain of Qatoura, started as a small agricultural village, to develop into a town in order to accommodate the multitudes of pilgrims visiting the church. The ruins cover an area of 250x150 m.

The ruins of the deserted village of Refadeh, and of the small church of Sit al-Rum, lay on a hill in front of Saint Simeon citadel. Most of the houses are fairly well preserved still keeping the porticos overlooking the interior courtyards.

The highest peak in the area is mount Sheikh Barakat. It rises to an elevation of 876 m above sea level. The temple of Sheikh Barakat, at the summit of the mountain dates from the first century A.D.

1.2 Brad area

The second Park in Simeon Mountain contains very important archaeological remains surrounded by a well preserved traditional landscape. It includes the sites of Burdj Haydar, Kafr Nabo, Brad & Convent of Brad, Kalota & Qal'at Kalota, Kharab Shams.

The village of Brad is the largest archaeological site in northern Syria. It conserves vestiges from both the Roman (a bath and a monumental tomb) and the Byzantine periods (ruins of three major churches and a monastery).

Kafr Nabo is renowned for the temple dedicated to the god Nabo, while the church of Qal'at Kalota is also built over the remains of an earlier roman temple. The village of Qalota hosts two churches dating from the year 492 CE, and the church of the inhabited site of Kharab Shams counts among the best preserved sites in northern Syria.

2. Jabal Wastani

The Jabal Wastani, which lies between the cities of Aleppo and Antioch, is a narrow and elongated massif running parallel to the Orontes River covering an area of some 173 Km2. Its northern part, very isolated, is still covered with woods. Jabal Wastani depends administratively from the Governorate of Idleb.

Jabal Wastani Archaeological Park:

The earliest archaeological remains in this zone are represented by platforms (mastabas) dating back to the pre-Christian era. The most important archaeological sites dating back to the Roman and Byzantine periods include Baftamoun, Bashir, Bsheriya, Halloul and Khrab Khalil, Khrab Sultan, Fassouq, Khirbet Uqab, and Bansara. They lie in the northern part of the Jabal and form the core of the third archeological park.

These villages include private dwellings, temples, cemeteries, churches and monasteries and a large number of olive presses and storage cisterns. The monuments are richly decorated and the many inscriptions, dating to the Roman and Byzantine periods, still visible on the walls provide us with an accurate picture of the economic, social, artistic and religious life in the area from the second to the seventh century CE.

3. Jabal Baricha

Jabal Barisha covers some 210 Km2 with no river and water springs. Barisha Archaeological Park:

The archaeological park includes the sites of Baqirha, Kherbet Al Khatib, Deiroune, Dar Qita, Qasr Ibliso. These villages, now inhabited, lay close to each other in the vicinity of the Turkish border amidst a beautifully preserved landscape.

The site of Dar Qita counts three churches built in the 6th century and bear traces of a re-occupation during the 12th and 13th centuries. In Baqirha, built on the mountain slope above the small village of Deiroune, the remains of a large church built in 546 dominate the site with its extraordinarily well preserved façade. An almost intact Roman Temple dedicated to Zeus Bombos stands on the southern edge of the site.

4. Jabal Al A'la

This zone covers some 160 Km2 and was inhabited since the 2nd century CE by Roman settlers.

Al A'la archaeological park:

The area set apart as an archaeological park is centered on the church of Qalb Loze, the major monument of the region after Saint Simeon. It includes other important sites as Qirq Bize (where was built one of the earliest churches of Syria) and Kfeir that can be reached only on foot.

The Church of Qalb Loze is remarkably well preserved and its decoration echoes the contemporary example of Saint Simeon.

5. Jabal Zawiya

Is the southernmost part of the limestone massif. In this large

sector are situated two archaeological parks:

5.1 Serjilla and Bara Archaeological Park

The park includes two of the most renowned sites among the Dead Cities: Serjilla and Al Bara and some minor villages as Kherbet Has and Kharab Bchellah.

Al-Bara, noted for its unusual pyramid tombs, is one of the largest site of the region extending over some 2x3 km. The ruins are scattered among fields, olive groves and orchards. One can distinguish remains of at least five churches, 3 monasteries, several villas, two pyramidal tombs and an underground tomb.

The settlement was established in the fourth century at an important trade route between Antioch and Apamea. Due to good location and excellent conditions to produce wine and olive oil it flourished in the 5th and 6th centuries. When Muslims conquered the region and trading routes were disrupted and other ‘Dead Cities' were abandoned, Bara remained inhabited (most of its inhabitants remained Christians) and the town even became the seat of a bishopric subordinate of Antioch. In 1098 it was conquered by the Crusaders, and in 1123 the town was re-conquered by Muslims who built a small fortress. Later in the 12th century, after a severe earthquake, the town was abandoned.

Serjila is located in a superb and isolated setting. It comprises extensive remains of houses, a church, baths, tombs and sarcophagi dating form the Byzantine period. The baths, built in 473 CE, are among the most intact examples found in Syria.

5.2 Ruweiha and Jerade Archaeological park

The seventh archaeological park is located on the eastern slope of the Jabal Zawiya and includes the two sites of Ruweiha and Jerade. Ruweiha is set in open countryside on the edge of the plateau and was mainly built in the 5th and 6th centuries. The site comprises two small roman temple tombs and two large churches. The Church of Bissos is one of the largest of the limestone plateau and shows the important technical innovation of the transverse arches spanning the central nave. Near the church stands the tomb of Bissos, the only domed structure in the dead cities. The site is inhabited by some beduin families raising their cattle among the ruins. Jerade lays two kilometers east of Ruweiha and the ruins extend on both sides of the road. The main monument of the site is a six-storey watch tower with a basaltic door.

Justification for Outstanding Universal Value

Satements of authenticity and/or integrity

The abandoned villages in the limestone massif represent a rare snapshot in time of a community, complete with its environment, as it lived and breathed more than a thousand years ago. This makes them a valuable component of Syria's cultural heritage well worth preserving.

Many houses survive with their original fittings: balconies, galleries, chairs, basins, troughs, presses and vats for oil and wine, cisterns and family tombs‚ all carved out of stone; while most churches have kept they original façades.

All the remains visible in the limestone massif are preserved in their original state of conservation, without alterations and recent interventions. The only building site that has been subject to a partial reconstruction and anastylosis, resulting from a serious scientific study of the original methods of construction and materials, is the complex of Qalat Simeon.

The Dead cities are protected by the Syrian Antiquity law and listed under the category of archaeological sites, with a registration decision issued by the Minister of Culture.

Comparison with other similar properties

The Dead cities are the finest example in Syria of an integrated rural area with its associated houses and amazingly intact buildings. Developed between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, they were complete settlements built in a rural environment. Because the area was not re-inhabited till recent years, they have survived better than any other settlement from this period within and outside the country. In the Hauran, region in southern Syria, there are comparable vestiges, however these buildings, mainly built in basalt, are not as well preserved.

Similar landscapes do exist around the Mediterranean basin (in Turkey, Sardinia, Jordan etc.), but possibly none has preserved in such a complete way both the ancient landscape and its original living settlements.