A resident who recently returned to
#Saraqeb found an archaeological treasure looted by pro-Regime fighters.
Saraqeb is just few km from a major Syrian archaeological site, Ebla - but the artifacts don't appear to originate from there, as most of Ebla's remains date to the Bronze Age.
The collection of 40 artifacts found by a resident & stockpiled in his house, mostly consists of items dating to Roman & Byzantine eras.
Some can be identified: an inscribed stele, sculpted column bases, capitals & more surprisingly equipment that appears to have belonged to a bakery: 4 basalt grain mills (pistrinae) - typically operated by animals.
It remains unknown how these artifacts were collected - during illegal excavations or while digging tunnels under the town, as documented after Assad's fall.
The capture of Saraqeb on 29th November 2024 happened so quickly that pro-Assad forces couldn't take the artifacts with them.
The resident handed over all 40 artifacts to the local authorities, who then transferred them to
#Idlib Antiquities Department.
This exceptional case highlights both the immense damage inflicted on Syrian heritage by the war but also the remarkable integrity of some individuals - over the past months, several people returning to their homes handed over artifacts they safeguarded for years.
ALT Photo courtesy of Idlib Antiquities Directorate.