Australian Syrian Euphrates Project
Earlier this year a team of archaeologists made some exciting discoveries on the west bank of the Euphrates in North Syria...
Professor Graeme Clarke and his team of archaeologists have been excavating a Greek military colony (established c.300 BC) on the west bank of the Euphrates in North Syria.
Thanks to generous donations, the Project was able to hold an excavation season in April/May 2008. This excavation also gave employment to 125 local Bedouin.
One of the exciting discoveries made this season was the uncovering of a Greek Palaestra or Gymnasium. This peculiarly Greek establishment consists of a central courtyard surrounded by a colonnade of 28 columns and combined physical training and educational facilities. The colonnade would have been used not only for spectators but also for classrooms, the cloisters providing sunshine, shade or shelter on various sides according to the time of day and the season.
Imported pottery from Athens found in the foundations of the building indicate that work on the building started early in the third century BC and shows the importance placed by the early Greek settlers on this very Greek type of educational and training facility.
There were many interesting artefacts unearthed at the site during the season, among them:
- A bronze strigil- a curved instrument for scraping down sweat, sand and oil after exercises,
- A limestone ball - used in a game like bowls or skittles
- A large, round limestone basin -for the athletes to wash in after exercising (identical ones have be found in Olympia near the Gymnasium )
- 18 Amphoras for providing oil which the athletes covered themselves in whilst exercising (especially in the contact sports of wrestling and boxing)
- And a number of large water jars with pitched interiors. These were found sitting in round stands cut in to the bedrock of the courtyard, to relieve the thirst of the athletes.
This project would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors. If you would like to support future excavations of the Australian Syrian Euphrates Project, please contact the Office of Endowment for Excellence.
