“Ain al-Fil”…… the oldest Syrian archaeological site

Archaeological discoveries in Syria indicated that  “Ain al-Fil” site  is the oldest archaeological one and it dates back to more than 1.8 million years. The site  is located north of the village of al-Koum, 90 kilometers north of the city of Palmyra in the Syrian Badia.

It is considered as one of the most important areas in which ancient people settled, according to what was published in the scientific journal “The Cradle of Civilizations” affiliated to the Ministry of Culture, which is specialized in publishing  archaeological and historical research.

Dr. Rima Khawam, Principal Secretary of the National Museum in Damascus, explained in an interview with SANA  that the results of the research of the joint Syrian-Swiss mission working in the nearby site of Al-Hamal, which dates back to one million and 300 years old, concluded that the earth layer discovered at Ain El-Fil site is synonymous with those located in the Al-Hamal site.Despite this, the oldest human monuments discovered in Syria were at the Ain Al-Fil site. 

Khawam added that  Ain al-Fil site bore more than one name throughout history, indicating that when a member of the expedition discovered in 2003 the remains of elephant teeth, and some manufactured pebbles found in the backfill, the site was given a new name which is  Ain al-Fil, the name that became popular in  the local community.

According to Khawam, the site takes the form of a cavity with a diameter of 20 meters, and a depth of only a few meters, stressing  the importance of studying these sites in understanding the behaviors and methods of human life in the Stone Age and his lifestyle in this desert environment, and shedding light on the ancient presence of human beings  in this region.

Rawaa  Ghanam