Book Size: 5.5" x 8.5"

Pages: 256

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781566566650

Imprint: Interlink Books

Edition: 3

Illustrations: full-color photos , maps

Category:

Syria

A Historical and Architectural Guide (2nd edition)

By

$ 19.95

About this book

Syria is the Middle East's best kept secret. With a wealth of historical splendors matched by few other countries in this region, Syria has remained almost undiscovered. As a result little has been spoiled, much is unknown, and there is much to discover.


It is a land of immense antiquity, boasting cities and archaeological remains that are among the oldest in the world. The world's great invaders from earliest history have fought to establish a bridgehead there as a key to further conquests: Hittites, Hurrians and Hebrews, Aramaeans, Assyrians and Arabs, Egyptians, Canaanites, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Turks, Mongols, and French. All have left behind some of the most spectacular monuments that can be seen anywhere. Today, entire deserted cities, immense castles, and a bewildering array of palaces, mosques, temples, theaters, and other ruins are strewn across the country providing the richest and most diverse heritage in the region. More than any other country in the East, Syria is truly the gateway to Asia.


This book reconsiders the history of Syria and surveys the major archaeological and historical sites, making a strong case for reassessing the importance of Syria in our perception of the growth of civilization out of the Middle East. With its many site plans and maps, readable text and 96 color photos, this book makes available for the first time the immensely wealthy history, archaeology, and architecture of Syria to the general reader and the interested traveler.

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About the author

Warwick Ball, a Near Eastern archaeologist and author, has spent over twenty-five years carrying out excavations, architectural studies and monumental restoration throughout the Middle East and adjacent regions, having lived, worked and traveled in most countries between the Mediterranean and China. He is currently director of Eastern Approaches, a special-interest cultural tours company specializing in the East.

Author of many books and articles on the history and archaeology of the region, his book, Rome in the East: the Transformation of an Empire, was winner of the James Henry Breasted History Prize and was Choice Outstanding Academic Book in 2000. Born in Australia, Warwick Ball now lives in Scotland.