Researcher Muhammad Kilani : Syria’s Archeological Treasures Indicate its Great and Deep-Rooted Cultural Heritage

 “History is not a story or a novel but rather a mind, an emotion and a memory of human existence. It is the wisdom of the past, the guide of the present, and the path to the future” the researcher and historian Muhammad Hamzeh Kilani said.

Historically, Syria had played , according to Kilani an incomparable role in the history of mankind . It is often described as the cradle of civilization , since many of the greatest human achievements that later spread to encompass the world had their beginnings in ancient Syria .

 Kilani pointed out that  the  historian is  interested in studying the historical aspect of events, as for  the researcher, he   is the prospective investigator in issues  of thought and knowledge, as is anyone who is interested in studying any specific scientific

field,  adding  the researcher  tends to investigate ,  research and follow up  the  new archaeological data and specialized studies provide ..

Kilani reviewed   what  historians such as Abu al-Fida, al-Tabari and Ibn al-Atheer, had  transmitted including the social, economic and political circumstances of their time.

He   highly  appreciated  the works of great historians and researchers including  the Greek historian Herodotus,  Ibn Khaldun, who invented and formulated the philosophy of history ,  the British Arnold Toynbee, the owner of the Encyclopedia of History, and from Syria, the historian Dr. Suhail Zakar and his comprehensive encyclopedia in the history of the Crusades, Dr. Ahmed Dawood and his book on Semitism and  Anti-Semitism.

Kilani  believed that the study of archeology helps us a lot to  know  our history better, especially that Arab history before Islam was not documented, but was transmitted verbally and narrated through some biographies or memorized by  poems.

Syria possesses a  glorious  heritage compared to the rest of the nations, as Kilani asserts, so we are in the year 6670 of the Syrian calendar that precedes all other calendars of the Julian and Pharaonic.

He underlined   that Ugarit, Ebla, Mary, Palmyra  are among important  historical Syrian sites , and what these civilizations have left of archaeological treasures are clear evidences  of the grandeur of  Syrian deep-rooted cultural heritage.

Concerning  his book “Forgotten Poets of Hama”  Kilani made it clear  he  shed light on the  patriotism of a  number of poets from Hama , who called for development and reconstruction

It is noteworthy to mention  that Muhammad Hamzah Kilani was born in the city of Hama in 1947  ,  holds a degree in economics and  had got a number of honoring certificates..

Rawaa Ghanam