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Heft 6
DOI Artikel:Gawlikowski, Michał: Remarks on the ramparts of Palmyra
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26421#0049
Michał Gawlikowski
REMARKS ON THE RAMPARTS OF PALMYRA*
It is now wiclely accepted that tlie wali Circuit CDDEE described above
in detail by Dora Crouch is of a later datę than the city itself and most
probably a work sponsored by Diocletian. Several fragmentary works have
been described outsicle this late perimeter, but tlieir interrelations are far
from being elear. If the researches of A. Gabriel, D. Krencker, J. Starcky
and D. van Berchem, as ąuoted by D. Crouch, have proved the existence
of an early rampart KKMN which shielded the main source and the gardens,
the extension of inhabited and protected area to the north, and partly to
the west, remained unknown. My soundings on the NE linę and along the
Transverse Colonnade produced additional evidence.
From the foot of Muntar a mud-brick wali stretches in straight linę to
the wadi, reaching a point opposite the tomb tower beside the so-called Da-
mascus Gate, later on taken into the Diocletian in fabric. Farther north traces
have been found of an approximatively aligned wali, dismantled before the
shops and portieoes of the Transverse Colonnade were erected. The western
ąuarter, known as Diocletian’s Camp, remained outside this rampart.
As the earliest monumental buildings in this external area datę back to the
beginnings of Christian era, the rampart appears to be older still. It seems to
me that this western extension of the city area preceded the tracing of the
Transverse Colonnade and eventual destruction of the corresponding section
of the wali. Another contemporary extension covered what was to become
northern ąuarters: the Baalshamin sanctuary founded in the second decade
of lst century A. D. hacl to accomodate a Hellenistic tomb of 2d century B. C.
I would not be surprised if the later Great Colonnade was found to follow the
linę of the old rampart, just as did the Transverse Colonnade. The old wali
would then protect an area on both sides of the wadi, with the tell of the Bel
* This notę is a short account of my soundings and field research in 1970- 1972,
not yet known to D. Crouch when she wrote her paper in this issue. A report on
these was presented at the Colloyue international sur Palmyre in Strasbourg, Octo-
ber 1973. See fortheoming Les defenses de Palmyre in ”Syria” and the finał report
in the series Palmyre. Fouilles polonaises.
45
REMARKS ON THE RAMPARTS OF PALMYRA*
It is now wiclely accepted that tlie wali Circuit CDDEE described above
in detail by Dora Crouch is of a later datę than the city itself and most
probably a work sponsored by Diocletian. Several fragmentary works have
been described outsicle this late perimeter, but tlieir interrelations are far
from being elear. If the researches of A. Gabriel, D. Krencker, J. Starcky
and D. van Berchem, as ąuoted by D. Crouch, have proved the existence
of an early rampart KKMN which shielded the main source and the gardens,
the extension of inhabited and protected area to the north, and partly to
the west, remained unknown. My soundings on the NE linę and along the
Transverse Colonnade produced additional evidence.
From the foot of Muntar a mud-brick wali stretches in straight linę to
the wadi, reaching a point opposite the tomb tower beside the so-called Da-
mascus Gate, later on taken into the Diocletian in fabric. Farther north traces
have been found of an approximatively aligned wali, dismantled before the
shops and portieoes of the Transverse Colonnade were erected. The western
ąuarter, known as Diocletian’s Camp, remained outside this rampart.
As the earliest monumental buildings in this external area datę back to the
beginnings of Christian era, the rampart appears to be older still. It seems to
me that this western extension of the city area preceded the tracing of the
Transverse Colonnade and eventual destruction of the corresponding section
of the wali. Another contemporary extension covered what was to become
northern ąuarters: the Baalshamin sanctuary founded in the second decade
of lst century A. D. hacl to accomodate a Hellenistic tomb of 2d century B. C.
I would not be surprised if the later Great Colonnade was found to follow the
linę of the old rampart, just as did the Transverse Colonnade. The old wali
would then protect an area on both sides of the wadi, with the tell of the Bel
* This notę is a short account of my soundings and field research in 1970- 1972,
not yet known to D. Crouch when she wrote her paper in this issue. A report on
these was presented at the Colloyue international sur Palmyre in Strasbourg, Octo-
ber 1973. See fortheoming Les defenses de Palmyre in ”Syria” and the finał report
in the series Palmyre. Fouilles polonaises.
45