DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36287#0035
PALMYRA AND THE REGION OF THE HAURAN
13
! kherin for some cigarettes had come home empty-handed, saying that the comman-
dant of the post, hearing the object of his visit, had bought up the whole supply and
was now sending them to us as a present. In a short time a soldier rode into camp
and gave us twenty-eight boxes of cigarettes and also fifty lemons, which the com-
mandant had in some way learned were needed. A letter came with the present say-
ing that it was hoped the foreign gentlemen would accept them and that the commandant
would hold himself in readiness to do whatever he could for us. We informed the
soldier that we could not accept them as a gift, and the following day a representative
was sent to the officer to pay the amount owing him.
From time to time we were able to secure from the natives a few ordinary specimens
of ancient pottery and some coins. Greek, Roman, and Byzantine pieces were frequently
brought to us. Nearly all were of bronze, and their condition was usually poor. They
were found for the most part in the fields or on the surface of the ground near some
ruined houses. Practically all the tombs were opened long ago, and consequently few
are now discovered in them.
On the 31st of October Bshindelaya and Kirk Beza were revisited by some of the
party, and afterward two of us went by way of Bshindelinteh to Masarteh. This
proved to be one of the most extensive ruins in the mountain, but there are few
important structures still standing, and most of the stones lie scattered in complete
disorder. On two interesting portals — one of them used now as the doorway of a
modern house—were Greek inscriptions. Coming back toward camp, one member
of the party went again to Kfer to finish his work there.
The former inhabitants of Djebel il-A'la built many large cisterns to catch the rain-
water. They are to be found in great numbers in and near every ruined town, and
many houses had one or two of their own. Even during the early centuries of the
Christian era the people in the hills evidently had to depend upon this source for their
supply of water. We saw no traces of wells or springs in this mountain. Most of
the cisterns are hewn out of the solid rock, and are pear-shaped, or similar in form to
the oriental water-jug.
Part of the land in Djebel il-A'la is owned by rich merchants or money-lenders of
the towns not far away. One of them paid us a visit and accepted the customary
courtesy of a cup of coffee and cigarettes. He stated through an interpreter that the
ground on which our camp was pitched belonged to him, but fortunately he did not
demand any rental from us. He was quite gracious in spite of his appearance, and
expressed his regret that we were not able to go to his town of Kefr Tkhcrin, the seat
of the governor of the district.
During our short stay in this mountain we visited and studied no less than thirteen
ruined towns or villages and three or four isolated buildings, all of them dating from
the early Christian centuries.
13
! kherin for some cigarettes had come home empty-handed, saying that the comman-
dant of the post, hearing the object of his visit, had bought up the whole supply and
was now sending them to us as a present. In a short time a soldier rode into camp
and gave us twenty-eight boxes of cigarettes and also fifty lemons, which the com-
mandant had in some way learned were needed. A letter came with the present say-
ing that it was hoped the foreign gentlemen would accept them and that the commandant
would hold himself in readiness to do whatever he could for us. We informed the
soldier that we could not accept them as a gift, and the following day a representative
was sent to the officer to pay the amount owing him.
From time to time we were able to secure from the natives a few ordinary specimens
of ancient pottery and some coins. Greek, Roman, and Byzantine pieces were frequently
brought to us. Nearly all were of bronze, and their condition was usually poor. They
were found for the most part in the fields or on the surface of the ground near some
ruined houses. Practically all the tombs were opened long ago, and consequently few
are now discovered in them.
On the 31st of October Bshindelaya and Kirk Beza were revisited by some of the
party, and afterward two of us went by way of Bshindelinteh to Masarteh. This
proved to be one of the most extensive ruins in the mountain, but there are few
important structures still standing, and most of the stones lie scattered in complete
disorder. On two interesting portals — one of them used now as the doorway of a
modern house—were Greek inscriptions. Coming back toward camp, one member
of the party went again to Kfer to finish his work there.
The former inhabitants of Djebel il-A'la built many large cisterns to catch the rain-
water. They are to be found in great numbers in and near every ruined town, and
many houses had one or two of their own. Even during the early centuries of the
Christian era the people in the hills evidently had to depend upon this source for their
supply of water. We saw no traces of wells or springs in this mountain. Most of
the cisterns are hewn out of the solid rock, and are pear-shaped, or similar in form to
the oriental water-jug.
Part of the land in Djebel il-A'la is owned by rich merchants or money-lenders of
the towns not far away. One of them paid us a visit and accepted the customary
courtesy of a cup of coffee and cigarettes. He stated through an interpreter that the
ground on which our camp was pitched belonged to him, but fortunately he did not
demand any rental from us. He was quite gracious in spite of his appearance, and
expressed his regret that we were not able to go to his town of Kefr Tkhcrin, the seat
of the governor of the district.
During our short stay in this mountain we visited and studied no less than thirteen
ruined towns or villages and three or four isolated buildings, all of them dating from
the early Christian centuries.