DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45594#0025
Preface to Division II, Section B.
This Section of Division II of these publications covers the architectural work of
the Princeton Expedition in Northern Central Syria which is, according to our somewhat
arbitrary geographical division, the central part of Syria north of Damascus. The first
two parts have to do with a section of basaltic country east of the main high-road
between Damascus and Aleppo, extending from Selemiyeh northward, almost to the
Djebel il-Hass which lies immediately south of Aleppo. This region has been hitherto
but little explored, and although the Baron von Oppenheim, Dr. Oestrup and Professor
Hartmann have been in the region, and have published a number of inscriptions found
there, and though the first of the above named has published some photographs of its
ruins, no detailed publication has ever been made of the architectural remains of the
locality, beyond the scant records published by the American Expedition of 1889—1900,
and these were all of the northern extremity of the region, — the Djebel il-Hass and
the Djebel Shb&t. The Princeton Expedition thoroughly explored the 'Ala, or the
southern extremity of the region, and all the ruins in the immediate vicinity of il-Anderin,
Kerratin and Mahata. A map was made of those sections visited by the expedition,
and is given in Part I of this section. Of the large number of sites visited, as shown
on the map, 33 contained architectural monuments sufficiently important, and sufficiently
well preserved, for publication. These structures represent many kinds of architecture,
— religious, civil, military, domestic and funerary — and cover a period from the
third to the seventh century A.D., many of them being dated. The monuments of
this region, with a few notable exceptions, are not well preserved; but in many instances
where the ancient towns have been long abandoned, the details lie as they fell, and
complete restorations of the buildings in drawings, are not .difficult to make. It will
be seen from the accompanying illustrations that the style of the architecture of this
basalt region is quite distinct, differing widely from the architectural styles that flourished
in the limestone mountains immediately to the northwest, and equally from the styles
of Southern Syria where basalt, the same material, was employed; borrowing from both,
it is distinct from either.
The third and fourth parts take up small sections of regions already explored by
the Marquis de Vogue, or by the American Expedition, and make a more detailed
study of a small number of sites. In Part 3 the ruins of Serdjilla are taken as an
example of a typical ancient town of the Djebel Riha, — the range of limestone hills
west of the foregoing region. A plan of the town is presented, and all of the more
important buildings are described with the aid of measured plans and photographs.
Outside of Serdjilla a number of the more important buildings, at different places in
This Section of Division II of these publications covers the architectural work of
the Princeton Expedition in Northern Central Syria which is, according to our somewhat
arbitrary geographical division, the central part of Syria north of Damascus. The first
two parts have to do with a section of basaltic country east of the main high-road
between Damascus and Aleppo, extending from Selemiyeh northward, almost to the
Djebel il-Hass which lies immediately south of Aleppo. This region has been hitherto
but little explored, and although the Baron von Oppenheim, Dr. Oestrup and Professor
Hartmann have been in the region, and have published a number of inscriptions found
there, and though the first of the above named has published some photographs of its
ruins, no detailed publication has ever been made of the architectural remains of the
locality, beyond the scant records published by the American Expedition of 1889—1900,
and these were all of the northern extremity of the region, — the Djebel il-Hass and
the Djebel Shb&t. The Princeton Expedition thoroughly explored the 'Ala, or the
southern extremity of the region, and all the ruins in the immediate vicinity of il-Anderin,
Kerratin and Mahata. A map was made of those sections visited by the expedition,
and is given in Part I of this section. Of the large number of sites visited, as shown
on the map, 33 contained architectural monuments sufficiently important, and sufficiently
well preserved, for publication. These structures represent many kinds of architecture,
— religious, civil, military, domestic and funerary — and cover a period from the
third to the seventh century A.D., many of them being dated. The monuments of
this region, with a few notable exceptions, are not well preserved; but in many instances
where the ancient towns have been long abandoned, the details lie as they fell, and
complete restorations of the buildings in drawings, are not .difficult to make. It will
be seen from the accompanying illustrations that the style of the architecture of this
basalt region is quite distinct, differing widely from the architectural styles that flourished
in the limestone mountains immediately to the northwest, and equally from the styles
of Southern Syria where basalt, the same material, was employed; borrowing from both,
it is distinct from either.
The third and fourth parts take up small sections of regions already explored by
the Marquis de Vogue, or by the American Expedition, and make a more detailed
study of a small number of sites. In Part 3 the ruins of Serdjilla are taken as an
example of a typical ancient town of the Djebel Riha, — the range of limestone hills
west of the foregoing region. A plan of the town is presented, and all of the more
important buildings are described with the aid of measured plans and photographs.
Outside of Serdjilla a number of the more important buildings, at different places in