DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45584#0005
THE HAURAN PLAIN
AND
DJEBEL HAURAN.
INTRODUCTION.
The limits of the territory described in this part are fixed on the south by the
northern boundary of the southern Hauran as described in Div. II, Sect, a, Part 2,
namely, by the Roman road which leads from DerA through Bosra to Salkhad, and
by an imaginary line drawn eastward from Salkhad into the desert. On the east the
limits are again set by the stony desert, il-Harra; on the west by the Hedjaz railway,
and on the north by the lava waste of the Ledja. As may be seen by reference to
the map which accompanies this Part, the northern boundaries are irregular; for the
mountain extends a little beyond the southern limits of the Ledja on the east, and the
plain en-Nukra lies all along the western edge of those great lava fields. In effect
the Ledja is taken out of this Part and reserved for a separate Part by itself. The
country embraced within the limits set above may be said to represent the middle and
northern Hauran, as opposed to the southern Hauran, in a triple horizontal division of
the whole region; while the Djebel Hauran on the east and the Plain of the Hauran
on the west divide the region vertically into two very distinct halves.
The Country. The Djebel, or mountain, of the Hauran is a cluster of volcanic
hills grouped about a number of extinct craters, one of which — il-Kuleb — raises its
pointed crest, about 1000 m. high, well above the rest. The region is difficult to traverse,
its narrow fertile valleys of deep red soil being separated by mighty streams of broken
lava and wild wastes strewn with volcanic bowlders and scoriae. The only rock visible
in this rocky and stony region is black basalt. The country is well watered and has
always been productive. Like other volcanic lands, it is excellently well adapted to
the growing of the vine. In ancient times it was full of small cities and little towns,
the inhabitants of which appear to have been wealthy. For several centuries it seems
to have been practically deserted; but today every ruin, with one or two exceptions, is
occupied by a community of Druses; for the mountain became the chief refuge of this
people after 1870; and these hardy and thrifty folk are more than usually well-to-do
among the peasants of the Turkish Empire. Their presence however has been a serious
menace to the old buildings, for, being great builders themselves in a crude sort of
way, they have preyed upon the ancient architecture for building-stones until many of
the buildings published by M. de Vogue, as the result of his visit in the early sixties,
have entirely disappeared; while others are in a much more ruined condition now than
Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological Expeditions to Syria, Di v. II, Sec. A, Pt. 5·
39
AND
DJEBEL HAURAN.
INTRODUCTION.
The limits of the territory described in this part are fixed on the south by the
northern boundary of the southern Hauran as described in Div. II, Sect, a, Part 2,
namely, by the Roman road which leads from DerA through Bosra to Salkhad, and
by an imaginary line drawn eastward from Salkhad into the desert. On the east the
limits are again set by the stony desert, il-Harra; on the west by the Hedjaz railway,
and on the north by the lava waste of the Ledja. As may be seen by reference to
the map which accompanies this Part, the northern boundaries are irregular; for the
mountain extends a little beyond the southern limits of the Ledja on the east, and the
plain en-Nukra lies all along the western edge of those great lava fields. In effect
the Ledja is taken out of this Part and reserved for a separate Part by itself. The
country embraced within the limits set above may be said to represent the middle and
northern Hauran, as opposed to the southern Hauran, in a triple horizontal division of
the whole region; while the Djebel Hauran on the east and the Plain of the Hauran
on the west divide the region vertically into two very distinct halves.
The Country. The Djebel, or mountain, of the Hauran is a cluster of volcanic
hills grouped about a number of extinct craters, one of which — il-Kuleb — raises its
pointed crest, about 1000 m. high, well above the rest. The region is difficult to traverse,
its narrow fertile valleys of deep red soil being separated by mighty streams of broken
lava and wild wastes strewn with volcanic bowlders and scoriae. The only rock visible
in this rocky and stony region is black basalt. The country is well watered and has
always been productive. Like other volcanic lands, it is excellently well adapted to
the growing of the vine. In ancient times it was full of small cities and little towns,
the inhabitants of which appear to have been wealthy. For several centuries it seems
to have been practically deserted; but today every ruin, with one or two exceptions, is
occupied by a community of Druses; for the mountain became the chief refuge of this
people after 1870; and these hardy and thrifty folk are more than usually well-to-do
among the peasants of the Turkish Empire. Their presence however has been a serious
menace to the old buildings, for, being great builders themselves in a crude sort of
way, they have preyed upon the ancient architecture for building-stones until many of
the buildings published by M. de Vogue, as the result of his visit in the early sixties,
have entirely disappeared; while others are in a much more ruined condition now than
Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological Expeditions to Syria, Di v. II, Sec. A, Pt. 5·
39