DEPARTMENT
OF
SYRIAN ANTIQUITIES OF THE GREEK,
ROMAN
AND BYZANTINE PERIODS
This Department contains a very rich collection of varied
antiquities. These constitute an important chapter in the history of human
creation, illustrating the ideas, beliefs, customs and traditions of man. They
highlight artistic taste and manual skill. Many of the antiquities here call up
events and figures of the past. Each piece has a long story to narrate.
These antiquities also constitute an important record of
historic events which are not only related to the history of the region, but
also to the history of man as a whole. For this very reason, a large number of
tourists, scholars and archaeologists from all over the word visit Syria. to
see, study and appreciate the artistic and cultural value of these antiquities.
Although some Orientalists have exaggerated the influence of
the Greco-Roman civilizations on the Arab East. the modern archaeological-
discoveries in Syria (which revealed the civilizations of the Amorites and
Canaanites ) have promoted many scholars to assert the influence of our
civilization on the Romans and the Greeks.
Read : A HISTORICAL GLANCE AT SYRIA ( Covers The Greek
& Roman Period )
BYZANTINE SYRIA ( Covers The
Byzantine Period )
SECTIONS OF
DEPARTMENT
OF
GREEK, ROMAN, AND BYZANTINE ANTIQUITIES
The Department consists o the following sections:
-
Hall of the Museum: contains the most beautiful statues
discovered in Latakia, and two mosaics, one discovered at Shahba and the other
at the district of Hama.
-
First Gallery: includes marble statues as well as silver,
bronze, ivory and bone antiquities.
-
Second Gallery:
comprises terracotta statues and vessels as well as a
collection of glassware.
-
Wing of Antiquities of Hauran and of Jabal al-Arab:
includes as fine collection of basalt sculptures.
-
Wing of Antiquities of Palmyra :
contains masterpieces of Palmarene Sculptures, a mosaic, and mural frescoes
discovered in the Temple of the Palmarene gods .
-
Wing of Antiquities
of Dura-Europos .
-
Hypogeum of Iarhai the Palmarene: This hypogeum which is
discovered in Palmyra is reconstructed in the Basement of the Museum.
-
Synagogue of Dura-Europos
: reconstructed in the Museum.
-
Wing of Jewels: contains magnificent collections :
necklaces, ear-rings, pins, finger-rings, gold leaves and precious stones.
-
Gallery of Coins: contains fine collections of Greek,
Hellenistic, Seleucid, Ptolemaic, Phoenician, Nabataean, Roman, Palmyrene,
Byzantine and Venetian coins.
-
Wing of Byzantine Art: contains Christian sculptures,
terracotta arid glass vessels, jewels, coins, Syriac documents as well as
Palmyrene and Coptic textiles.
-
Garden of the Museum:
contains large-sized sculptures. Prominent among which are :
The lion of Latakia, some Sarcophaguses, mosaics
and statues.
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