Settlement and Landscape Development in the Homs Region, Syria: Research Questions, Preliminary Results 1999–2000 and Future Potential

Abstract

Syria. J"itio,l discwsiotls address the value of survey data Ul Syrian archaeology, the research aims of the projecr and describe rhe suroey area, The projecr melhod%gy. whih includes a combinalion of both eXlemive a"d imensive survey melhods. is outlined, and the we of satellite imagery as a meam of site location discussed, Work on geomorphological processes and off-site artefact dism"burions has facilitated the detJewpment of sampling srrategies for intensive sur/au collection ,{amled for 2002 and 2003, A test core has established that polkn is we/l-preseroed in Ihe SillS of Lake Qarri"e. which appear Ul offer a west Syrian palaeoenvironmental sequence. Preliminary '.lJork in che basail InTO in west of Homs has allowed the refinement of methodoJDgies for the "lapping and a"alysis of cairns and field systems which predominate in this area, and has ~igh{ighted the threat resulting from current bu1JdJ)zing. The report co,,,ludes with somJ! preliminary observations on the main trends as these are emerging from the data.