Palmyra-Sana
Archaeologists consider the Syrian Badia region as one of the most important sites in Syria and the region, whose discoveries explain the existence of ancient humans over tens of thousands of years since the beginning of the Stone Age.
The excavations that took place previously in the area, specifically in the village of al-Koum, located midway between Palmyra and the Euphrates, revealed flint tools between the sediments of the sites, which shows the continued inhabitation of this basin about 100,000 years ago, from which man moved towards the north, east, west and south, according to what archaeological researchers confirmed.
The flint tools that were discovered in that region date back to different Neanderthal eras, followed by other eras in which man began the manufacturing process, where pieces were found in layers and embankments, especially at the Umm Hamel site, which contained more than 25 settlement layers on top of each other, thanks to the radiocarbon dating process and modern methods. In the analysis were identified axes, knives, scrapers and other tools made of flint.
The skeletal remains of extinct animals were also found, including parts of the bones of an elephant, indicating that it was living in that area, in addition to the bones of what is known as the giant camel found in layers dating back about 400 thousand years, which confirms that the origin of this animal in the beginning was the Syrian desert. Studies and excavations also showed that the ancient man lived in this area, which was rich in water and extinct forests.
Archaeological expert Muhammad Khaled Al-Asaad explained in a statement to SANA that the area of the Kom basin in the Badia of Palmyra formed a corridor between the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe and, according to his expression, was the smelter from which man set out to build his ancient world.
Al-Assaad confirms that half of the skull of the primitive man, the oldest ancestor of man, that was found in this region indicates the early emergence of human life in this region, which lies within an intermediate point between Mesopotamia and the large oases of Palmyra.
Archaeologist Dr. Khalil al-Hariri, former curator of Palmyra National Museum, indicated in a statement to SANA that the Palmyra Badia basin is one of the richest archaeological excavation basins in the world, containing about 100,000 antiquities, including flint tools polished on both sides, including highly advanced cutting tools that resemble modern knives.
And he indicated that the stone tools, especially hand axes, were made of high-quality flint that the residents brought from quarries 5 to 10 km away from the site, and reached a very high degree of accuracy in implementation in terms of their shape, trimming and symmetry. she has.
Hariri pointed out that the research that took place in this area is supposed to lead to solving another mystery, which is the process of moving from the middle stone age to the neolithic age, which made Dr. People are wherever you are. You should be proud that you have two homelands where you live now and where your ancestors grew up from ancient times in the current land of Syria.”
The Swiss archaeologist, Dr. John Marie Lotansor, discovered half of this skull at the site of the Ain Askar seminary in the Kom basin. He described this discovery, which dates back to 400 thousand years BC, as exceptional because it helps to know the ways through which our ancient ancestors spread and shows that the ancient Syrian man produced advanced industries Inherited ideas about the mental abilities of our ancestors have been shaken.
Adnan Khatib