Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

ESHMOUN VALLEY

LEBANON

* * *

The survey extended from the Mar Mousa
Chapel situated on the northern valley slopes
several kilometers up the Barouk gorge,
then several hundred meters along the Wadi
Bhannine in the direction of Jezzine,
finishing on the southern river bank op-
posite the Chapel of Mar Mousa.2 The team
effected a survey of the slopes and a sub-
stantial part of the valley floor.
Estimating settlement density in the val-
ley at all periods, the 20th century included,
was a key objective [Fig. 1}. Consequently,
the ruined stone buildings, which were
quite common in the valley, were surveyed
with equal attention despite their recent
date (probably late Ottoman and 20th cen-



Fig. 1. Sites located during the survey in
Auali (Eshmoun) Valley (Drawing
K. Jakubiak, M. Neska)

tury). At least 27 houses of this kind were
recorded on 16 of the 42 sites registered this
year. Rich country residences were in evi-
dence likewise as simple rural houses. The
structure designated as site 13, situated on
the northern slopes of the Auali Valley, was
among the most exceptional because of the
huge ashlars, possibly salvaged from older
buildings, used in its construction [Fig. 2],
Another structure (site 20), located near the
road from the Roman temple at Bisri to
Barouk, was a very well preserved two-story
building with traces of a wooden terrace on
the northern side. Another two houses (sites
26, 30) were of similar construction with
arched vaults and remains of an upper floor.
The ruins of a farm on site 6 (A1 Faukhara),
which occupies an excellent position from
the strategic point of view [Fig. 3], were not
the only remains there; collected pottery
testified to occupation already in the Late
Roman period.
Three relatively big settlements were lo-
cated. The village on site 10 comprised five
houses scattered a few hundred meters apart,
on the northern slopes of the Auali Valley,
east of A1 Faukhara. The architectural re-
mains were of generally turn-of-the-19th
century date, but Late Roman and Early
Byzantine pottery found in one of the houses
testifies to at least a part of the settlement
being built in that period.
Site 38 on the southern slopes of the
Auali Valley consists today of three or four
structures, but there is every reason to be-
lieve that it was bigger once. Some of the
buildings were probably destroyed and the
stone used for the construction of agricul-
tural terraces. A small cave nearby could
have been a tomb, but there is no evidence
in support of this idea. Examination of col-

2 A detailed overview of the survey will be published in an upcoming volume of BAAL.

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