The largest archaeological find since the war began comes to light in Syria

Eleven years and a month after it began, the war in Syria is the great forgotten.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
13 October 2022 Thursday 07:44
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The largest archaeological find since the war began comes to light in Syria

Eleven years and a month after it began, the war in Syria is the great forgotten. The conflict has caused thousands of deaths and more than five million displaced people. In many places, the minimum basic resources are lacking, there is a shortage of water and food... and covid-19 is rampant.

In the midst of violence and barbarism, this week has been a moment to disconnect from so much suffering. The Syrian authorities reported this Wednesday that they had found the largest archaeological find since the conflict began, a large mosaic from the Roman era that remains intact despite the bombs.

The discovery occurred in the city of Rastan, located just 20 kilometers from Homs. The mosaic, which measures a total of 120 square meters, was found under a 4th century building that was bought by Lebanese and Syrian businessmen linked to the Nabu Museum (Lebanon) and ceded it to the Syrian state.

Researchers from the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums of Syria have been excavating the area in recent months to dust off every last of the small colored stones of just 1.27 square centimeters that make up the work.

"What we have in front of us is a rare discovery on a global scale," said Dr. Humam Saad, associate director of excavations and archaeological research, at a press conference on Wednesday. Among the scenes that the mosaic shows, a rare representation of the ancient Amazon warriors in Roman mythology stands out.

In both ancient Greek and Roman mythology, the demigod hero Hercules (or Heracles) assassinated Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, in one of his 12 labors. The images displayed on the tiles are "rich in detail" and include events from the Trojan War between the Greeks and the Trojans.

The mosaic also portrays Neptune, the ancient Roman god of the sea, and 40 of his lovers. “We cannot identify the type of building excavated. It could be a public bath house or something else. Until we finish digging we won't know," Saad said.

Sulaf Fawakherji, a famous actress in Syria and a member of the board of directors of the Nabu Museum, assured for his part that the group of patrons could buy other real estate in Rastan, a city in which it is believed that many heritage sites and artifacts still exist. waiting to be discovered.

"There are other buildings, and it is clear that this mosaic extends much further," Fawkherji told reporters. "Rastan has historically been an important place and now it could become a very important heritage site for tourism," added the actress.

Despite the historical importance of this city, Humam Saad points out that there have been no significant excavation efforts before the armed conflict that has ravaged the country for 11 years. "Unfortunately, there were armed groups that tried to sell the mosaic in 2017 and even posted it on social media," he recalls.

Syrian archaeological and cultural heritage sites have been systematically looted and destroyed over the last decade due to the armed conflict. Among the most notable incidents is the conquest of Palmyra by the Islamic State. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring imposing 2,000-year-old Roman colonnades and other priceless artifacts, suffered the partial destruction of a Roman theater.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government, despite its cash problems, has been slowly rebuilding Aleppo's century-old bazaar after taking it back from armed opposition forces in 2016. Rastan was also a major opposition stronghold and there Heavy fighting took place before the Syrian government recaptured the city in 2018.