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Dec 15 2009

Byzantine mosaic unearthed in northeast Syria

The Syrian National Excavation Expedition on Sunday discovered a 44-meter long mosaic painting at Tal al-Kasara archeological site in the northeastern Syrian province Deir Ezzor, the official SANA news agency reported on Monday.

The painting representing geometric shapes and fishes with opposite heads was found in the cool hall of a bath house at the site, which is the first of its kind that was discovered in the Middle Euphrates Region.

Tal al-Kasra site was discovered for the first time by a British expedition in 1849 and the Syrian National Expedition started its excavations in 2006 during which it discovered a city dating back to the Byzantine Era.

Yarub al-Abdullah, head of the National Expedition, indicated that there was a large military defensive city at the site which was very important due to its strategic location between the borders of Byzantine and the Sasanian Empires, according to the report.

The conducted surveys unearthed Roman clay pieces to the west of the site, suggesting that it witnessed a great prosperity in the Byzantine Era, the report said.

Some of the most important archeological discoveries at the site were the gate of the city and two tombs built of basalt stone and painted with lime.