Al-Wahdah  8/6/2005

 Two areas in Tartous, known as “Al-Bayadah Cemetery” and garden “Azar Cemeteries”, have been registered as archeological sites. The borders of the two sites have been set to match the boundary on the plan of the designated Amrit site, which is kept at the Directorate General of Antiques and Museums. That happened upon the issuing of decision No. 214  by the ministry of culture which was a part of the continuous efforts that have been going on by the ministry to save archeological Amrit area that is located to the south of  Tarous city.

Some sources in the Directorate of Antiques in Tartous mentioned that the decision included prohibiting construction, construction permissions and building roads within the borderlines of the site ;however, it allowed planting trees and filed crops. It also allowed doing some serving projects in the Directorate General of Antiques and Museums' granting its approval and determining the conditions and the specific criteria for such projects.

This decision comes as a result of concentrated efforts that has been going on by the ministry of culture ,the Directorate General of Antiques and Museums ,and the volunteers team to save the archeological Amrit.

(The following clarification and scans of the decision No.214 are not existed in the original journalistic text.)

Syrian Arab Republic

Ministry of Culture

Directorate General of Antiques and Museums

No.: /326/9

Dated on: 22/5/2005

Decision  No. 214

Minister of Culture

According to :

- Law No.197 of the year 1958 concerning establishing the ministry of culture.

- The legislative decree No. 222 of the year 1963 concerning the law of Archeology and its  amendment.

- The decree No. 2176 (25/9/1980) concerning the ownership of  the Directorate General of Antiques and Museums.

- The suggestion of the general director of the Antiques and Museums.

- The approval of the Antiques council in its third assembly that was held in 23/8/2004.

The following has been issued :

Article 1 -  The two areas, known as Al-Bayadah Cemetery and Azar Cemeteries, shall be registered as archeological sites in Tartous city; they are near Amrit site that is registered by decision No.149/A dated on 22/11/1988.

Article 2 – The borders of the two mentioned areas shall be set to match the border of Amrit site as it is shown in red color on the drawing that is kept in the Directorate General of Antiques and Museums .

Article 3 – It is prohibited to construct roads, build or bury within the mentioned area. It will only be allowed to grow trees and field crops (e.g. wheat, barley …etc) and to do so some serving projects (i.e. drinking water, electricity, phone lines, uneven roads), and that can only happen in the condition of getting the approval of the Directorate General of Antiques and Museums to determine the conditions and the specific criteria for such projects.

(Page 2/2 Translation)

Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Culture
The Directorate General of Antiques and Museums
The Directorate of Buildings


The drawing of the archeological site(Amrit, Azar cemeteries, and ALBayadah cemetery) registered by a decision No. 214/A dated on 12/5/2005

The border of the whole archeological site as it is specified in Article (2) Of the Decision No.214/A dated on 12/5/2005.

The original drawing scale 1/20000

 

1- AlBozouq tower tomb and ancient quarries.
2- An ancient cemetery which has a square memorial.
3- A ground cemetery
4- AlMagazel
5- A Byzantium church carved in rock.
6- The temple of Nabai Alhayat.
7- An ancient port and Roman channels.
8- Amrit temple
9- The archeological hill of Amrit
10- Sacred place.
11- Amrit Stadium.
12- A cemetery carved in rock goes back to the 2nd century A.D.
13- AlBayadah cemetery , that carved in rock and consists of a Phoenician tombstone.
14- A cemetery carved in rock that consists a god human tombs(Azar cemeteries)

Translated by: Kamil Al-Shami