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Title
New perspectives to save cultural heritage
Author
Altan, M. Orhan

CIP A 2003 XIX th International Symposium, 30 September - 04 October, 2003, Antalya, Turkey
bridge crossing the ditch in front of the gate. From this point
a street runs straight eastward to the center of the city.
Covered by a small part of the magnetometer survey outside
the city several structures appeared. Yet they are difficult to
interprete by the recent state of the survey. But since they are
oriented to the groundplan of the city they are likely to be
contemporary to the Abbasidic site.
Some 50 m east from the gate in the eastern city wall a large
building complex (Figure 4) is visible, the largest part of it
extending ca. 70 m from east to west. It is found in the region
where v. Oppenheim identified “barracks” and “stables”.
This region borders to the north of the ruins still huge which
Oppenheim has identified as the “palace of the caliph”.
To evaluate the results of the survey regarding the initial aim
of research it is necessary to consider the conditions under
which the magnetometer survey was taken through. While
multiple factors have impact on the successful use of a
survey technique in the case of Kharab Sayyar many
statements are clearly influenced by the state of preservation
and the heterogen materials used for construction. To
articulate both the statements derived from positive structures
as well as restrictions of statements derived from the
discussion of the conditions under which the survey was
taken through makes the interpretation a liable source of data.
With the state of the magnetometer survey by September
2002 the knowledge about the topography of Kharab Sayyar
has grown. The resulting city map allows the archaeologist to
view his excavation data from another perspective. Further
research can be planned efficiently. Moreover an enduring
cultural heritage management now has detailed knowledge
about the site and thus the set of arguments has grown to
protect it from destruction by erosion or recent human
activity.
6. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Buthmann N./Posselt M./Zickgraf B., 2001. Magnetometer
survey of an early Muslim settlement in Kharab Sayyar,
north-east Syria. In: Abstracts of the Contributions of the
26th General Assembly of the European Geophysical Society,
Nice, France, 25-30 March, 2001. Geophysical Research
Abstracts Vol. 3, 2001, p. 1506.
Ettinghausen R./Grabar O., 1987. The Art and Architecture
of Islam: 650-1250. Yale University Press, New Haven and
London.
Figure 4. Kharrab Sayyar. Detail with large builing complex.
Magnetogram.
Inbetween the larger and more obvious objects the usual
dwelling architecture can be found. But in seldom cases only
more or less complete groundplans can be found. In most
cases only single or irregular sets of walls are visible.
Meyer J.-W., 2000. Die zweite Grabungskampagne in
Kharab Sayyar 1999. Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient
Gesellschaft 132, 297-309.
Meyer J.-W./Al-Khalaf M./Musa I./Breitwieser C./Doemer
S./Würz M./Zysek A., 2001. Die dritte Grabungskampagne in
Kharab Sayyar 2000. Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient
Gesellschaft 133, 199-223.
5. CONCLUSION
A magnetometer survey detected several elements of the
topography of Kharab Sayyar. Adding to the knowledge
about the city derived from the desription of Baron von
Oppenheim and the ruins visible at the sight a detailed map is
the result. The localization of buildings and facilities of the
Abbasidic city and the identification of their function
succeeded. Embedded in the system of streets a mosque
neighbouring a market street (suq) can be determined. The
market street runs across the northern part of the city from
the northern citywall to the center so far as it is investigated
now. Several details of mosque (walls and piles of columes)
and market (walls of the shops) are visible. Furthermore
several large buildings and sets of buildings did appear, in
most cases showing a tendency to concentrate along the
market street, but their function remaining speculative. The
main elements and several details of the city's fortification
system including a gate are clearly visible. And also outside
the city structures of unknown function appeared
unexpectedly which seem to be oriented to the city and thus
likely to be contemporary with it.
Moortgat-Correns, U., 1992. Charab Sejar. Gebr. Mann
Verlag, Berlin.
Posselt M., 2002. Die Magnetometer-Prospektion in Kharab
Sayyar im September 2000. Mitteilungen der Deutschen
Orient Gesellschaft 134, forthcoming.
Zickgraf B., 1999. Geomagnetische und geoelektrische
Prospektion in der Archäologie. Systematik - Geschichte -
Anwendung. Verlag Marie Leidorf, Rhaden/Westf.
7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Prof. Dr. J.-W. Meyer, Goethe-
University Frankfurt/Main for the permission to publish the
results of the magnetometer survey. Thanks to his endeavour
towards the investigation of Kharab Sayyar he enabled the
prospection.
Furthermore I would like to thank the numerous students and
local working men, who helped at fieldwork.