Homs, Nov. 8 (SANA) Flash floods in central Syria have exposed additional sections of a 1,300-year-old water system near the ancient city of Palmyra, offering a clearer view of how water was transported across the desert during the Umayyad period.
The floods, which swept through the Palmyra desert in late October, uncovered previously buried sections of the Souq canal and the nearby al-Tuwaihina archaeological site, both associated with Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi, an Umayyad-era palace in Homs province.
Hassan Ali, director of Palmyra’s Department of Antiquities and Museums, told SANA on Saturday that the canal was built around 728–729 AD during the reign of Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, at approximately the same time as the palace.
The canal carried water from Wadi al-Latoum to the palace over a distance of about 30 kilometers (19 miles). Its wider network of branches and stone channels, including those serving the palace gardens, extended for approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles).
Ali said the canal begins at a pool fed by mineral water sources identified by an American archaeological mission in 1966.
Ancient engineering beneath the desert
Built from carefully cut limestone blocks, the canal features walls approximately two meters (6.6 feet) high and pyramid-shaped stone roofing.
Ali said the structure demonstrates the engineering techniques used during the Umayyad period to transport water across long distances and supply settlements in the arid Syrian desert.
The nearby al-Tuwaihina site, located several kilometers from the palace along the canal’s route, takes its name from a watermill once used to grind grain.
Although parts of the mill and canal were already visible, the recent flooding exposed additional sections that had remained buried.
Ali cautioned that the newly revealed stretches amount to only a few dozen meters of the canal and do not constitute the discovery of a new archaeological site.
He also said the floods had not uncovered previously unknown structures at Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi.
Landmines complicate preservation efforts
The newly exposed remains have renewed attention on archaeological sites that have been largely inaccessible since the outbreak of the war in 2011.
Ali said the area had been prepared to receive visitors until 2010, but years of war disrupted access and conservation work.
He warned that landmines and other explosive remnants of war remain a major obstacle to archaeological surveys and restoration.
Before specialists can assess the site, the surrounding area must be surveyed and cleared of explosives, he said.
Teams from Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums would then be able to evaluate damage, identify restoration priorities and consider further excavation along the canal.
Ali also called for improved security to protect the palace, canal, watermill and nearby burial sites from damage and deterioration.
Restoration work could eventually allow the archaeological complex to reopen to visitors as part of future tourism routes, he added.
Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi and its extensive water network are among the surviving examples of Umayyad architecture and hydraulic engineering in Syria’s central desert.
The latest exposure highlights the historical importance of the system, while underscoring the challenges facing efforts to preserve archaeological heritage in areas affected by years of war.
kA/ABD
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