Qadesh - UNOSAT

Qadesh (Tell Nebi Mend) ‫قادش‬
Homs Governorate
Qadesh/Photo: Creative Commonts, Wikipedia
Satellite-based Damage Asessment to Historial Sites in Syria
DESTROYED
STRUCTURE
(Only remnents of
foundation remain)
PARTIAL
COLLAPSE OF STRUCTURE
/ ROOF COMPLETELY
DESTROYED
SECTIONS OF
ROOF MISSING
May 20, 2014
NEW ROAD
(approx. 350 m)
STRUCTURE
PARTIALLY
DESTROYED
SEVERE DAMAGE
TO STRUCTURE
SECTIONS OF
ROOF MISSING
MODERN STRUCTURE
PARTIALLY
DESTROYED
WALL AREA
(approx. 5,300 m2)
SEVERE DAMAGE
TO STRUCTURE
DESTROYED/
PARTIALLY COLLAPSED
STRUCTURE
DESTROYED
STRUCTURE
STRUCTURE / RUIN
LIKELY DESTROYED
EXCAVATION
TRENCH FILL IN
PARTIAL DAMAGE
TO ROOF OF
STRUCTURE
SEVERE DAMAGE TO
STRUCTURE. ROOF
DAMAGE OBSERVED IN
RIGHT SECTION OF
STRUCTURE
STRUCTURE HAS
BEEN REMOVED
DESTROYED
STRUCTURE
MODERN STRUCTURE
DAMAGED
SEVERE
DAMAGE TO
STRUCTURE
PARTIAL
COLLAPSE OF
STRUCTURE
ROOF OF STRUCTURE SEVERELY
DAMAGE / TOP LEFT SECTION
HAS COLLAPSED
ROOF OF STRUCTURE SEVERELY
DAMAGE / ROOF APPEARS TO
HAVE PARTIALLY COLLAPSED
MILITARY
BERM
DESTROYED
STRUCTURE
FIGURE 78. Extensive damage to Qadesh.
Site Description
The main site within this area is the site of Qadesh (also known as Tell
Nebi Mend). The earliest part of the site is approximately 9,000 years
old and arose as a major Bronze Age city, although later phases of settlement surround the main mound and the site has been extensively
excavated. The area reviewed also covers the ancient fort known as
Tell Nebi Noah and both the Prehistoric and Roman Sites of Arjoune
Qadesh is the site of one of the most famous battles in ancient history
between the Egyptians and the Hittites. The Pharoah Ramesses II had
inscriptions written concerning the battle:
QADESH
“His majesty reached the town of Kadesh[...] His majesty had formed
the first ranks of battle of all the leaders of his army, while they were
(still) on the shore.”(i)
He describes the fighting further: “No officer was with me, no charioteer, no soldier of the army, no shield-bearer[…] I was before them like Set in his moment. I found the mass of chariots in
whose midst I was, scattering them before my horses.”(ii) Ultimately, both sides claimed victory.
Qadesh Damage Level
(Number of Heritage Locations)
1
0
DESTROYED
SEVERE DAMAGE
0
MODERATE DAMAGE
0
POSSIBLE DAMAGE
125
Satellite-based Damage Asessment to Historial Sites in Syria
December 23, 2011
FIGURE 79. Qadesh before damage ocurred.
Status Overview
No damage is visible at Tell Nebi Noah or Arjoune. However, there has been heavy fighting at Tell Nebi Mend. Most of the modern village on top of the tell and in the lower town to the south have been destroyed or severely damaged, some down to their
foundations. Those buildings still standing are partially collapsed.
This level of destruction likely caused damage to the site itself, though to what extent is unknown as the imagery is unclear. A
new track has been dug into the northwest side of the tell, measuring 350 m in length. At the northern end of the tell, the road
through the village has been extended to reach the large walled emplacement that has been built (5,300 m2 in length). The
excavations in this area have been filled in (see figures 78 and 79). These date to 1921 - 22, but were cleared in 1975. Sufficient
enough time has elapsed for them to have been thinly covered by 2010, hopefully protecting them. These works will have disturbed the archaeological areas.
Although the exact date is unknown, a news report was released of the installation of heavy weapons on the tell in 2012 and
heavy fighting in 2013.(iii)
NOTE
This report provides a detailed analysis of significant changes to the cultural heritage of this site resulting from the
ongoing conflict in Syria. World View satellite imagery acquired on 23 December 2011 and 20 May 2014 was used
for this report.
(i) Pritchard, J. 1969, p.255–256 [1]
(ii) Lichtheim, M. 1976, p.65 [2]
(iii) Report on the webpage of the The Association for the Protection of Syrian Archaeology [3]
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Satellite-based Damage Asessment to Historial Sites in Syria
127