DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45594#0026
IV
Preface to Division II, Section B.
the Djebel Riha, that have not been published, are described, with drawings and other
illustrations, in this part. In the same manner, Part 4 will take up Babiska and Dar
Kita, two abandoned ancient towns discovered by the American Expedition in the north-
eastern end of the Djebel Barisha, — another range of limestone hills, north of the
Djebel Riha and about 35 miles east of Antioch. A map of the immediate locality
will be given, and plans of both towns, together with a thorough publication of their
monuments as typical of the Djebel Barisha. In both of these districts monuments
earlier than the fourth century are rare, the great body of the buildings, and most of
the dated inscriptions belonging to the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries: but a sufficient
number of monuments and inscriptions of the first three centuries of our era are found
to show that architecture flourished here in the second, and even as early as the first
century. It is unnecessary to dwell here upon the architecture described in these two
parts. I have given a general survey of the styles represented in Northern Syria be-
tween the first and the seventh centuries, in Part II of the Publications of the American
Expedition.1
The last two parts of this section are devoted to the architectural remains of the
hill country northeastward from the Djebel Barisha, the country on all sides of the
great central mountain of Northern Syria — the Djebel Shfekh Berekat, — and north-
west of Aleppo, partly included within the great curve made by the high-road from
Alexandretta to Aleppo. Three of the ruined towns of this vicinity were visited by
M. de Vogue, who published one or more buildings of each, and several others have
been mentioned in articles written by various travellers coming from Aleppo. But despite
the fact that many of the most extensive ruins in Northern Syria are to be seen here,
and that some of the best preserved ancient monuments are to be found in these ruined
towns, the district has remained practically unexplored, and its monuments unpublished,
but for the buildings at KaPat SinTan and its neighborhood, published by M. de
Vogue. These, of course, include the great church and monastery of St. Simeon Sty-
lites, the most remarkable Christian monument in all Syria. On all sides of the cone-
like mass of the Djebel Shekh Berekat, and well to the northeast of it are large,
deserted, ruined towns. There are no Bedawin tents to be seen among the ruins, and
only occasional and temporary Turkoman or Curdish settlements; the ancient monu-
ments have disintegrated solely from natural causes. The buildings are of all kinds,
many of them of great beauty, and exceptionally well preserved. Forty, or more, of
the ruined towns of this region were visited by the expedition, and in airhost all of
them were found buildings of more than usual interest for publication. The great church
of St. Simeon at Kafat Simcan was remeasured, and will be published to show certain
interesting irregularities of plan, not noticeable in the small-scale drawing published by
M. de Vogue. The site of D&r Sim'an was chosen for particularly thorough study,
and a map of the town will be given, with measured drawings of all its more important
buildings. In all the ruins of this district the state of preservation in which many of
the buildings stand, warranted the extensive use of the camera, and, for this reason,
more photographic illustrations are presented in these parts of the publication than in
any other. Whatever may be said of the architecture of the Djebel Barisha, may be
said also of the architecture of this region. The styles represented in both localities
1 A. A. E. S., chapters 2—6.
Preface to Division II, Section B.
the Djebel Riha, that have not been published, are described, with drawings and other
illustrations, in this part. In the same manner, Part 4 will take up Babiska and Dar
Kita, two abandoned ancient towns discovered by the American Expedition in the north-
eastern end of the Djebel Barisha, — another range of limestone hills, north of the
Djebel Riha and about 35 miles east of Antioch. A map of the immediate locality
will be given, and plans of both towns, together with a thorough publication of their
monuments as typical of the Djebel Barisha. In both of these districts monuments
earlier than the fourth century are rare, the great body of the buildings, and most of
the dated inscriptions belonging to the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries: but a sufficient
number of monuments and inscriptions of the first three centuries of our era are found
to show that architecture flourished here in the second, and even as early as the first
century. It is unnecessary to dwell here upon the architecture described in these two
parts. I have given a general survey of the styles represented in Northern Syria be-
tween the first and the seventh centuries, in Part II of the Publications of the American
Expedition.1
The last two parts of this section are devoted to the architectural remains of the
hill country northeastward from the Djebel Barisha, the country on all sides of the
great central mountain of Northern Syria — the Djebel Shfekh Berekat, — and north-
west of Aleppo, partly included within the great curve made by the high-road from
Alexandretta to Aleppo. Three of the ruined towns of this vicinity were visited by
M. de Vogue, who published one or more buildings of each, and several others have
been mentioned in articles written by various travellers coming from Aleppo. But despite
the fact that many of the most extensive ruins in Northern Syria are to be seen here,
and that some of the best preserved ancient monuments are to be found in these ruined
towns, the district has remained practically unexplored, and its monuments unpublished,
but for the buildings at KaPat SinTan and its neighborhood, published by M. de
Vogue. These, of course, include the great church and monastery of St. Simeon Sty-
lites, the most remarkable Christian monument in all Syria. On all sides of the cone-
like mass of the Djebel Shekh Berekat, and well to the northeast of it are large,
deserted, ruined towns. There are no Bedawin tents to be seen among the ruins, and
only occasional and temporary Turkoman or Curdish settlements; the ancient monu-
ments have disintegrated solely from natural causes. The buildings are of all kinds,
many of them of great beauty, and exceptionally well preserved. Forty, or more, of
the ruined towns of this region were visited by the expedition, and in airhost all of
them were found buildings of more than usual interest for publication. The great church
of St. Simeon at Kafat Simcan was remeasured, and will be published to show certain
interesting irregularities of plan, not noticeable in the small-scale drawing published by
M. de Vogue. The site of D&r Sim'an was chosen for particularly thorough study,
and a map of the town will be given, with measured drawings of all its more important
buildings. In all the ruins of this district the state of preservation in which many of
the buildings stand, warranted the extensive use of the camera, and, for this reason,
more photographic illustrations are presented in these parts of the publication than in
any other. Whatever may be said of the architecture of the Djebel Barisha, may be
said also of the architecture of this region. The styles represented in both localities
1 A. A. E. S., chapters 2—6.