Valley of the Tombs, Ancient necropolis in Tadmur, Syria
Valley of the Tombs spreads for about 1 kilometer along rocky cliffs with numerous stone burial chambers and tower-like structures carved into limestone. The monuments range from simple chambers to elaborate multi-story towers that served as family burial grounds.
The earliest dated tomb belongs to Atenatan from 9 BC, marking when Palmyrenes began building these monumental burial structures. Over time, the designs grew more complex as families invested in increasingly elaborate towers.
The tombs hold inscriptions in Greek and Palmyrene, showing how traders and families from different backgrounds lived together in this ancient commercial hub.
The necropolis sits west of Palmyra's ancient city center and is walkable from there. Major towers like those of Kitot, Iamblichus, and Elahbel are visible along the main paths and make good reference points for orientation.
Excavations here uncovered some of Syria's oldest silk artifacts, revealing how far Palmyra's trade networks stretched. These discoveries show that merchants traveled to distant lands and brought back exotic goods for burial with their families.
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