News
Tuesday 1 February 2022
The Third Season of International Syrian-Russian Underwater Archeological Expedition
Nowadays the Syrian-Russian underwater archaeological expedition is conducting research in the Syrian Arab Republic. (January the 14th - February the 1st, 2022)
Nowadays the Syrian-Russian underwater archaeological expedition is conducting research in the Syrian Arab Republic.
The work is being carried out by Syrian scientists from the Department of Antiquities and Museums of Turtus Province and Russian specialists from Sevastopol State University and the Institute of Oriental Studies (the Russian Academy of Sciences) with the support of the Russian Geographical Society and the Expeditionary Center of the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense.
The work supervisors are Viktor Lebedinsky, Associate Professor of Oriental Studies Department at Sevastopol State University, the Head of the Center for Crimean Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies (the Russian Academy of Sciences), Candidate of Historical Sciences, and from the Syrian side - Dr. Marwan Hassan, Director of the Antiquities Service and Museums of Tartus Province.
Research is being carried out in the historically unique region of the Eastern Mediterranean - near the city of Tartus and the island of Arvad, which is mentioned in the Old Testament biblical texts and documents of the 18th Dynasty Egyptian pharaohs.
To date, the research team has examined the remains of the Arvad fortress walls that collapsed to the seabed, which were built in the ancient times afrom blocks up to 3 m in size. The masonry of large stone blocks has been also examined - the remains of an ancient pier that covered the island’s harbor. In the coastal strip of Arvad Island, laser scanning, aerial photography and photogrammetric surveys were carried out, as well as georeferencing of the surviving fragments of the Arvad fortress walls and port facilities, which are more than 3000 years old. A hydroacoustic survey of the seabed was also carried out around the island using an interferometric side-scan sonar.
These studies are being carried out with the aim of creating in the future a digital reconstruction of the port facilities and defensive walls of the legendary ancient fortress, which was a major trading city-state in the Phoenician, Greek and Roman periods - on a par with Tire and Sidon.
In addition, a survey of the coastal strip near the Amrit settlement has been carried out. This large ancient port, religious and cultural center was founded by immigrants from the island of Arvad. Nowadays this settlement is an archaeological reserve. Geophysical studies were carried out directly at the water's edge using a modern georadar complex (GPR). As a result, an ancient coastline was revealed, which is currently on land, about 7-8 m from the modern water line. This allows us to conclude that the ancient city port facilities are on land currently .
A survey was carried out and photogrammetric plans and 3-D models of four uninhabited islands located in a chain south of Arvad Island were compiled. These islands are El Abbas, El Faris, El Fanar, and Makroud, they are interesting as they were actively used by Arvad inhabitants for stone blocks extraction. These blocks were used to build defensive walls and other structures on Arvad island. In addition, there are ancient burials on the islands. Some large stone blocks are now under water near these islands, as they were lost in antiquity during transportation. Also on the islands there are structures, their purpose is yet to be determined. Also currently destroyed and flooded islands were also surveyed. There are two such places, which suggests that in ancient times there were at least two more islands south of Arvad.
At the request of Syrian colleagues from the Antiquities and Museums Department of the Province of Tartus, the Russian scientists conducted 3D laser scanning and photogrammetric survey of medieval period unique objects in the city of Tartus, such as the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin of Tartus, the Temple of the Knights Templar, as well as the defensive walls and towers of the Tartus citadel. This is necessary for the subsequent creation of "digital twins", which will be used for further research work and activities for the conservation and restoration of these monuments.
In addition, the Russian specialists held master classes for the Syrian colleagues on working with the most modern scientific equipment for underwater archaeological and field research, such as various sonar systems, profilers, 3-D laser scanners, and ground penetrating radar.
