Barbalissos - The restoration

According to archeological as well as to written material, the history of the ancient town of Emar came to an end in the first third of the 12th century BC. Many centuries passed before life stirred again in the ruins of Emar, presumably in Achemenian times. Apart from a Corinthian capital that came down to us as spoil we know about the Achemenian town of Bala or about the later Hellenistic and Roman towns only from texts. A change comes in Byzantine times. Justinian II let the eastern boundaries of his empire be secured by fortresses and the town that was now called Barbalissos be surrounded by strong walls. In the west, where the land rises and is most open to possible attacks, two mighty corner towers were added, spacious enough to house the guards and, at 25 meters, high enough to allow a far view into the Euphrates valley.

Due to its elevated position, this western part of the town-wall has survived to this day. The ruins of the southwestern corner tower and of the so-called praetorium in the north are still an impressive landmark that is visible from afar.

Southwestern corner tower 1996

But with the winter storms, the lake continued to erode the banks and seriously threatened the existence of this cultural monument.


Southwestern corner tower 1999	Southwestern corner tower 2001

In this precarious situation, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs came to the rescue and granted means with which the southwest tower was secured in 2000, already. In the first place, an access had to be prepared; for about half of its length, it is a dam newly piled up along the southern bank. The tower itself got a new foundation consisting of 90 m3 of cement; the façade was covered with original tiles gathered in the ruin.

The next object to be salvaged was the praetorium two walls of which - ruined but still 20 meters high - form the northwestern corner. Here, too, the further existence of the ruin was endangered by a deep gap in the corner. In the summer of 2001, the debris sloping in front of the wall was removed so that it was easier to estimate the extent of the damage. It became obvious that the western wall with its embrasures was almost completely intact.

Praetorium 1996

Praetorium 2001

Praetorium 2002

In the summer of 2002 and again with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the northern bank was strengthened, the dangerous gap at the corner of the praetorium was filled and the façade covered with tiles baked in the traditional way. At the same time, the documentation of the ruin, financed by the University of Tübingen, was completed: an object of cultural heritage has been preserved, in reality and in scientific documentation.

Back to the front page