Syria: Discovery of a Massive Mosaic Panel Northwest of Damascus During Agricultural Works

SadaNews - A farmer in the town of Qara, in the Damascus countryside, discovered a large ancient mosaic panel while working on his land, marking a new discovery that highlights the archaeological richness of the area located northwest of the Syrian capital.

The Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums reported that it received information about the presence of unusual archaeological features at the site, prompting it to form a specialized team that conducted preliminary surveys and excavations at the location, which is about 15 kilometers northwest of Qara, near the Syrian-Lebanese border, in an area locally known as "Al-Qabo."

According to the directorate, excavation works revealed that part of the discovered panel is a mosaic floor containing geometric decorations in white, black, and terracotta colors. Additionally, traces of plaster and remnants of fresco paintings appeared on the southern wall, with preliminary data indicating that the panel and the remains of the building date back to the Byzantine period.

The Archaeological Importance of the Site

According to the Syrian News Agency, the city of Qara and its surrounding areas are rich in archaeological sites, as they contain remains from various eras, benefiting from their geographical location close to ancient trade routes that connected the inner Syrian regions to the coast and Lebanon.

This discovery also serves as new evidence of the region's archaeological wealth from classical, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic periods, reflecting the deep civilizational history that Qara and its surroundings boast.

This discovery follows a few months after the directorate announced in May of last year the finding of another mosaic panel in the village of Maryamin in the northwestern countryside of Homs. The panel emerged during the digging of a well and depicted women playing musical instruments, measuring four meters and 30 centimeters in length and two meters in width.