SYRIA LAND OF CIVILIZATIONS REMARKABLE OBJECTS: ANCIENT TREASURES AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS The Syria, Land of Civilizations exhibition will fascinate visitors with the extravagance and rich symbolism of the approximately 400 objects on display. Most of these pieces are invaluable treasures and recent archaeological finds (jewelry, statues, vases, scientific instruments, frescoes, bas-reliefs, inscribed tablets, and manuscripts). Rarely have so many ancient treasures been brought together in one exhibition. In fact, some of these national treasures have never before been displayed outside Syria. Here are a few of these remarkable objects (from the oldest to the most recent): Hand axe, 1 million BC Flint Tell Sitt Markho National Museum, Damascus This crudely chipped stone represents the earliest type of evidence we have indicating the presence of humans (Homo erectus) on Syrian territory. This heavy tool had a variety of uses. Decorated grooved stone, 9000 BC Basalt Jerf al-Ahmar National Museum, Damascus The purpose of this type of stone is unclear. This example is unique because of its decorative geometrical motifs and animal figures, including a four-legged creature and a great bird of prey with outspread wings. Although such an object undoubtedly had a symbolic meaning, its significance has so far eluded interpretation. Cultic stela, 3000 BC Alabaster Tell Hariri, ancient Mari Deir ez Zor Museum This small stela is decorated with two large circular eyes and a lightly sketched nose, while a schematic female pubis was drawn in place of the mouth. Such an object may have represented an all-seeing deity or simply the sense of awe inspired by the sacred and divine. Breastplate, 2500 BC Lapis lazuli, gold, copper, bitumen Tell Hariri, ancient Mari: pre-Sargonic Palace National Museum, Damascus The cult of Anzu, a lion-headed eagle widely revered in Sumer, may have been brought to Mari. This exceptional ornament may represent Anzu or a bat, according to some. Its three holes indicate that it was meant to be worn, no doubt by a high-ranking Mari dignitary. It belongs to the "Treasure of Ur." Statuette, 2500 BC Gypsum Tell Hariri, ancient Mari: Temple of Ninni-zaza National Museum, Damascus The temples in the city-state of Mari on the Euphrates have yielded numerous statuettes of men and women who had themselves represented with their hands clasped to their bosoms in an attitude of prayer. These small statues were placed inside the temples on benches near the walls. They were intended as tokens of the great devotion offered to the divinity. Tokens (calculi), 2500 BC Unbaked clay Tell ‘Atij Deir ez Zor Museum These tokens were found at a site that postdates the appearance of writing. This shows that for trade purposes, writing did not immediately replace tokens. Cylinder seal and its imprint, 2400 BC Alabaster and plaster Tell Hariri, ancient Mari National Museum, Damascus On this seal, the figure with two faces represents Isimud, the vizier of the Sumerian god Enki, shown here in a seated position. Enki, the god of clear underground water, was associated with wisdom, magic, and the arts. Tablet: administrative text, 2300 BC Terracotta Tell Mardikh, ancient Ebla Idlib Museum Thousands of tablets like this one were found in the archives room in the palace of Ebla. They were originally arranged in order. The archives room was located close to the place where the king held audiences and it contained records of the decisions made by the king and his counselors. Statue of a King of Mari, 2200 BC Diorite Tell Hariri, ancient Mari: Palace National Museum, Aleppo This statue represents King Ishtup-ilum, who ruled over the city-state of Mari. Found in the palace throne room, where the statues of deceased kings also stood, the figure's solemn pose and the dark color of the stone create an impression of calm assurance befitting of a great monarch. Lion sculpture, 1800 BC Copper Tell Hariri, ancient Mari: Temple of the Lions National Museum, Aleppo This lion comes from a temple located near the palace and dedicated to the King of the Land, a divinity that has not yet been identified. It was discovered along with another identical sculpture. The two lions were placed at the entrance to the temple so that they appeared ready to pounce on visitors. Statuette of the god Baal, 1800 BC Silver and gold Ras Samara, ancient Ugarit National Museum, Aleppo The metal figurines found at Ugarit are mostly made of bronze, but this one is silver, ornamented with gold. Archaeologists generally associate this statuette with Hadad or Baal, especially since it was discovered in a cache of votive idols near the great Temple of Baal. The deity carries a mace as a symbol of power. Treasure of Ebla, 1750 BC Tell Mardikh, ancient Ebla National Museum, Aleppo The necklace, stick pin, ring, two-pendant necklace, buttons, and gold bracelet displayed here come from an excavated tomb at the palaces of Ebla, known as the Princess Tomb. The central section of the necklace consists of pomegranate-shaped beads on either side of a cabochon of lapis lazuli. Hoes, 1500 BC Limestone Tell Mishrifeh, ancient Qatna Homs Museum To sow their fields, early farmers buried their seeds in holes made in the ground using a simple wooden stick with a fire-hardened point. Later, farmers were able to break up the soil more effectively with stone hoes like these. Tablet: musical staff, 1400 BC Terracotta Ras Shamra, ancient Ugarit National Museum, Damascus The oldest known musical staff is written on the lower part of this tablet below the double line, while the words to a hymn referring to the gods appear on the upper part. This is therefore a complete text, with both words and music. Vase with a cart, 1300 BC Ceramic Ras Ibn Hani National Museum, Damascus This type of vase was produced by the Mycenaeans of pre-classical Greece. This example illustrates the contact Syria maintained with the Aegean world at the time. Mycenaean traders are believed to have introduced amber into Syria, bringing the stone from the shores of the Baltic Sea. Painted mural: two Assyrian dignitaries, 750 BC Fresco on mud plaster Tell Ahmar, ancient Til Barsib National Museum, Aleppo A fragment of a painted mural in the palace of Kar Shalmaneser shows two Assyrian dignitaries in court dress. When the mural was discovered, it was copied in its entirety. The copy indicates that these men were leading a vanquished enemy to the Assyrian king, surrounded by courtiers. Head of a statue, 700 BC Basalt Ain Dara National Museum, Aleppo This impressive female head comes from the Temple of Ishtar, built on the site of Ain Dara by Hittite settlers from Anatolia. The Hittites arrived at the beginning of the first millennium to set up independent kingdoms in northern Syria. Sarcophagus cover, 500 BC Terracotta Amrit, ancient Marathus Tartus Museum The face depicted on this sarcophagus cover is clearly of Egyptian inspiration. The style reflects the contact between Egypt and the Syrian ports during the period in which Syria was a province of the Persian Empire (538 BC–333 BC). Helmet with mask, AD 50 Silver and iron Homs, ancient Emesa National Museum, Damascus This iron helmet is coated with silver, except for the crown, which was covered with a fabric whose imprint is still visible in the rust. This was a luxury object that must have been worn in parades, but could also have been used for battle. The silversmith modeled the features after those of the helmet's owner. Mask, AD 50 Gold Homs, ancient Emesa: tomb 1 National Museum, Damascus Since gold is a highly ductile and malleable metal, a goldsmith could produce a portrait like this using hammering, embossing, and chasing techniques. It is almost certain that such a luxury object belonged to a king or an important dignitary. Cloth, AD 100 Chinese silk Tadmor, ancient Palmyra: tomb 40 National Museum, Damascus Silk occupied an important place in the international trade that passed through Palmyra. The city was a major stopover on the Silk Road, just before the route reached the Mediterranean. Silk was imported both as raw or processed thread and as woven material. Funerary bas-relief of a woman and her child, AD 150 Hard limestone Tadmor, ancient Palmyra: Temple of Allat Palmyra Museum Although there is no inscription to guide us, it seems likely that the child held by the woman is a baby she lost in childbirth. The sober style of this figure contrasts with the display of wealth seen on other bas-reliefs of female figures. Brooch, Roman period Gold, rubies, garnets, emeralds Hama National Museum, Damascus This exquisite brooch attests to the high status enjoyed by its owner and her love of beautiful jewelry. The spaces between the stones are decorated with granulations, or tiny spheres of gold that have been melted together. The central figure in relief may represent a goddess. Brooch, AD 200 Gold and rubies Dura-Europos National Museum, Damascus The central green stone of this brooch is encircled by a series of ovals formed by granulation, and geometrical motifs in relief. The stone is sculpted in intaglio—in a hollowed-out manner—to represent a young nude male standing with a Victory in his right hand. Fish-shaped flask, AD 200 Glass Tafas National Museum, Damascus This is an excellent example of glass blown in a mould. The mouth and eyes of the fish were rendered in relief and strands of glass were applied to its body. This small bottle was used to hold perfume or oils and was presented as an offering to the dead. "Safaitic" graffiti, AD 200 Basalt al-Eisawy, Safa Desert region (southwest of Damascus) Suweida Museum The nomads living in the Safa desert between the first century BC and fourth century of our era raised stock and specialized in camel breeding. Given their knowledge of the region, they played an active role in trade. Bas-relief: funeral banquet scene, AD 240 Limestone Tadmor, ancient Palmyra: Tomb of the 'Alaineh family Palmyra Museum The principal figure in a banquet scene like this is always a man shown reclining to the right. To the left, his wife or mother sits on the couch. Servants, children, and other members of the family may also be placed in the background or beneath the scene. Mosaic of Hercules, AD 300 Marble, limestone, and tesserae Homs, ancient Emesa Al-Ma’arra Museum Hercules was the most popular and best-known hero in Greco-Roman mythology. Here, he is shown at the age of eight months, strangling two serpents that the goddess Hera had vengefully placed in his cradle because her husband, Zeus, had conceived Hercules with Alcmena, a mortal. Bracelet, AD 1200 Gold Raqqa National Museum, Damascus This embossed bracelet bears an inscription that wishes the owner happiness, success, power, and long life. The clasp, decorated with little gold spheres and filigree, was set with precious stones. All but the central stone have disappeared. Wall painting: presentation of the Christ Child to St. Simeon by the Virgin Mary, AD 1200 Fresco Crak des Chevaliers: baptistry Tartus Museum This presentation scene was inspired by a passage in the Gospel according to St. Luke (2:28). Here we see St. Simeon receiving the Christ Child in his arms from the Virgin Mary. This scene later became very popular in the Byzantine art of the 12th century. Earrings, AD 1200 Gold, turquoise, and pearls Aleppo National Museum, Damascus These earrings exemplify the skill of Islamic goldsmiths and their mastery of techniques developed by their predecessors, especially the Byzantines. The goldsmith tradition and the reputation it earned are still perpetuated today in the souks of Damascus and Aleppo. Manuscript of the Koran, AD 1400 TPaper Unknown National Museum, Damascus The earliest surviving manuscripts of the Koran date to the second half of the seventh century. This manuscript belongs to a Koran in which the 114 sowar, or chapters, are divided among 30 volumes. Such a division corresponds to the number of days in the lunar months of the Moslem calendar. Manuscript: medical works, 14th century (first two books), 16th century (third book) Paper, 408 ff. Al-Hamathami (the first), Najibe al-Dîn al-Samarcandi (the second), Abi al-Hassan al-Maukhtar Ibn Abdoun (the third) Unknown National Museum, Damascus Many works of Arab medicine are illustrated. The artists did not seek to reproduce reality in every detail, but rather to provide schematic representations that could be used as a visual support in learning lists of descriptive and specialized terms. Astrolabe, AD 1500 Four-metal alloy: copper, zinc, lead , tin Unknown National Museum, Damascus The astrolabe is the observation instrument that best represents Arab astronomy. One of its purposes was to determine the direction of Mecca and fix the times for daily prayers. The oldest astrolabes are Islamic and date to the ninth century of our era. More than 1,200 examples have come down to us. The Syria, Land of Civilizations exhibition is a magnificent voyage transcending borders and cultures. Its North American premiere will be presented at the Musée de la civilisation in Québec City from May 31, 2000, to January 7, 2001. Syria, Land of Civilizations is produced by the Musée de la civilisation in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums of the Syrian Arab Republic. It is presented by AIM Funds and by invitation from Novartis and the Commission de la capitale nationale, in collaboration with Société Radio-Canada, CITF RockoDétente 107.5 FM, and Le Soleil. Information: Serge Poulin [418] 643-2158 Public Relations and Communications Issued : May 30, 2000 Syria : other press release : The foremost cultural event of the year 2000 (Issued : May 30, 2000) Remarkable objects : ancient treasures and archaeological finds (Issued May 30, 2000) One of the outstanding cultural events of the year 2000 (Issued : October 26, 1999) © Musée de la civilisation