DOI Heft:
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DOI Artikel:Crouch, Dora P.: The ramparts of Palmyra
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26421#0010
Dora P. Crouch
THE RAMPARTS OF PALMYRA
The walls of Palmyra present several interesting ąuestions for the nr ban
historian. First, ho w is one to correlate the different builcling periods obvious
in the fabric of the wali, with the different possible builders? Second, which
sectors are associated in any given bnilding period; for example, was the
Damascus Gate near Diocletian’s Camp built at the same time as the wali
sonth of the Agora or as the gate near the barracks, or at the same time as
some other specific sector(s) of the wali? Third, what can we deduce about
the size and hence the population of the city from the extent to the walls at
different times? Fourth, in what way do the walls, the water supply, and
the agricultural area of the oasis interrelate?
Unfortunately, no comprehensiye excavation of the walls has been done,
and until it is, ąuestions will be easier to raise than to answer. The best that
can be done now is to correlate the various accounts of the walls with known
historical events, and with surface reconnaisance of the yisible remains, to
arrive at some tentative theories about the walls.
As we now know them, the ramparts consist of several types of construc-
tion. From north to south they are: a talus about 18 meters wide and one meter
high, madę of plaster or cement of gypsum, JJ; a short stretch of wali HH
madę of smali stones and incorporating two tombs as to wers, which may be
an extension from I, the Roman camp (site of the present New Village); the
wali around the public monuments of the city, with both sąuare and rounded
bastions and older tombs used as to wers, and with several gates; the wayy
linę of wali, madę of smali stones, which cuts through the northwest residen-
tial ąuarter; and sections MN on Gebel Muntar and MK from Muntar across
the Southern edge of the oasis. These last sections are constructed of limestone
topped with brick, and were eąuipped with sąuare bastions and at least two
gates. A morę detailed examination of each sector of wali may help in arri-
ving at a notion of its datę1.
1 Naming of walls follows von Gerkards map, „Berytus” II, 1935, Fig. 1.
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THE RAMPARTS OF PALMYRA
The walls of Palmyra present several interesting ąuestions for the nr ban
historian. First, ho w is one to correlate the different builcling periods obvious
in the fabric of the wali, with the different possible builders? Second, which
sectors are associated in any given bnilding period; for example, was the
Damascus Gate near Diocletian’s Camp built at the same time as the wali
sonth of the Agora or as the gate near the barracks, or at the same time as
some other specific sector(s) of the wali? Third, what can we deduce about
the size and hence the population of the city from the extent to the walls at
different times? Fourth, in what way do the walls, the water supply, and
the agricultural area of the oasis interrelate?
Unfortunately, no comprehensiye excavation of the walls has been done,
and until it is, ąuestions will be easier to raise than to answer. The best that
can be done now is to correlate the various accounts of the walls with known
historical events, and with surface reconnaisance of the yisible remains, to
arrive at some tentative theories about the walls.
As we now know them, the ramparts consist of several types of construc-
tion. From north to south they are: a talus about 18 meters wide and one meter
high, madę of plaster or cement of gypsum, JJ; a short stretch of wali HH
madę of smali stones and incorporating two tombs as to wers, which may be
an extension from I, the Roman camp (site of the present New Village); the
wali around the public monuments of the city, with both sąuare and rounded
bastions and older tombs used as to wers, and with several gates; the wayy
linę of wali, madę of smali stones, which cuts through the northwest residen-
tial ąuarter; and sections MN on Gebel Muntar and MK from Muntar across
the Southern edge of the oasis. These last sections are constructed of limestone
topped with brick, and were eąuipped with sąuare bastions and at least two
gates. A morę detailed examination of each sector of wali may help in arri-
ving at a notion of its datę1.
1 Naming of walls follows von Gerkards map, „Berytus” II, 1935, Fig. 1.
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