Syrian Excavation Team discovers several archaeological findings dating back to Hellenistic and Old Bronze ages at Tal Shamia, 7km, north Ugarit in Lattakia Province, is based on a rocky mountainous area next to al-Arab River where the Syrian mission started its excavation works.
Syrian Assistant Director of Excavation at Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums, Ahmed Farzat Taraqji, said excavation works aim at cleaning the tombs engraved into rock and draw their architectural projections to get some indications about their history.
The mission's works could identify the eras of the finds:
- Small architectural parts belong to the Hellenistic age.
- Remains of clay jars similar to those found in Ugarit belonging to the middle Bronze Age were found at the southern part of the site.
- Remains of clay jars belonging to the Old Bronze Age were found in the southern part of the site.
- Human Skeletons belonging to the Third Bronze Age were found in the north-west of the sits.
Taraqji said the finds indicate that the site was first inhabited in 2600 BC with coincidence of the second construction boom emerged in the Near East.
Author: R. Milhem | Source: Global Arab Network [August 15, 2010]