Baqirha

Baqirha was an ancient settlement in the Dead Cities area in northwestern Syria [1]. The ruins of a temple from the Roman period and the remains of two churches and some residences from the early Byzantine period have been preserved [1]. Baqirha was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 as part of the “Ancient Villages of Northern Syria” site [1]. The temple from the year 161 AD was dedicated to Zeus Bomos, a local name for the main Syrian god Baal [1]. The earlier and poorly preserved of the two churches is the West Church [1]. The Eastern Church can be recognised from afar by its completely preserved west gable [1]. An inscription on the lintel of the west portal refers to the year 546 AD, which corresponded to the year 595 of the era of Antioch [1].