DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32867#0033
ARCHITECTURE OF
NORTHERN CENTRAL SYRIA AND
THE DJEBEL HAURAN
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
i
THE COUNTRY
HE territory explored by this expedition comprises three separate districts, each
A of which is distinct from the others in its architectural productions. The first
lies directly to the east of the Orontes, between the Lake of Antioch — Bahr il-
Abyad — and the ruins of Apamea, and will be called in these chapters Northern
Central Syria. The second is situated about forty miles to the eastward of this,
and will be referred to as the region of the Djebel il-Hass. The third comprises
the mountain country of thc Hauran.
The first district includes a system of mountains divided into four groups which
differ from each other in their physical conformation and have been given separate
names by the natives. Immediately to the east of the Orontes is a long chain of
mountains running north and south, and higher than the others; this goes by
the name of the Djebel il-A‘la, “ The Higher Mountain.” Here the first important
ruins were found, some of which were described by M. de Vogue. Farther east
again lies another ridge, separated from the Djebel il-A‘la by a deep, narrow valley;
this is called by the natives the Djebel Barisha. It abounds in ruined towns and
was only partly explored by M. de Vogiie. To the northeast of this ridge is a
roughly circular chain of mountains inclosing the plain of Sermeda; it is called
Djebel Halakah, “ The Ring Mountain.” The great mountain of all the region,
the Djebel Shekh Berekat, may be considered a portion of this group, and the spur
on which Kal'at Sim'an stands juts out from it on the north. M. de Vogtie thor-
oughly explored the region of Kal'at Sim'an and visited three sites in or near the
Sermeda plain.
3
NORTHERN CENTRAL SYRIA AND
THE DJEBEL HAURAN
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
i
THE COUNTRY
HE territory explored by this expedition comprises three separate districts, each
A of which is distinct from the others in its architectural productions. The first
lies directly to the east of the Orontes, between the Lake of Antioch — Bahr il-
Abyad — and the ruins of Apamea, and will be called in these chapters Northern
Central Syria. The second is situated about forty miles to the eastward of this,
and will be referred to as the region of the Djebel il-Hass. The third comprises
the mountain country of thc Hauran.
The first district includes a system of mountains divided into four groups which
differ from each other in their physical conformation and have been given separate
names by the natives. Immediately to the east of the Orontes is a long chain of
mountains running north and south, and higher than the others; this goes by
the name of the Djebel il-A‘la, “ The Higher Mountain.” Here the first important
ruins were found, some of which were described by M. de Vogue. Farther east
again lies another ridge, separated from the Djebel il-A‘la by a deep, narrow valley;
this is called by the natives the Djebel Barisha. It abounds in ruined towns and
was only partly explored by M. de Vogiie. To the northeast of this ridge is a
roughly circular chain of mountains inclosing the plain of Sermeda; it is called
Djebel Halakah, “ The Ring Mountain.” The great mountain of all the region,
the Djebel Shekh Berekat, may be considered a portion of this group, and the spur
on which Kal'at Sim'an stands juts out from it on the north. M. de Vogtie thor-
oughly explored the region of Kal'at Sim'an and visited three sites in or near the
Sermeda plain.
3