Shahba, Women in traditional dresses doing the laundry

Shahba, Women in traditional dresses doing the laundry

Vicinity of Tall Abyad, shell of the house with flattened domes and opening in one dome

Vicinity of Tall Abyad, shell of the house with flattened domes and opening in one dome

Tall Abyad, House decoration to welcome the house owner after the pilgrimage to Mekka

Tall Abyad, House decoration to welcome the house owner after the pilgrimage to Mekka

South-west Syria: Qalamun Mountains, the village of Maʿlula with its light blue or white house paintings

South-west Syria: Qalamun Mountains, the village of Maʿlula with its light blue or white house paintings

The wheel hub of a water scoop wheel (arab. noria)

The wheel hub of a water scoop wheel (arab. noria)

Remains of ancient buildings in Shahba, partly inhabited

Remains of ancient buildings in Shahba, partly inhabited

A view of people in traditional dress with a camel in Shahba

A view of people in traditional dress with a camel in Shahba

Shahba, View to the historic center of the town

Shahba, View to the historic center of the town

General view of Euphrates valley at Dayr az-Zawr countryside

General view of Euphrates valley at Dayr az-Zawr countryside

Raqqa, Qasr al-Banat, documentation sheet of courtyard with northern Iwan

Raqqa, Qasr al-Banat, documentation sheet of courtyard with northern Iwan

ar-Raqqa - Qasr al-Banat, the courtyard surrounded by four iwans

ar-Raqqa – Qasr al-Banat, the courtyard surrounded by four iwans

A coffee house and waiting service taxi in the center of the small frontier town

A coffee house and waiting service taxi in the center of the small frontier town

Raqqa - "East of Raqqa" site - Tall Aswad, excavation in 1985

Raqqa – “East of Raqqa” site – Tall Aswad, excavation in 1985

Raqqa - "East of Raqqa" site - Western Palace

Raqqa – “East of Raqqa” site – Western Palace

Raqqa - "East of Raqqa" site - Western Palace - vegetable stucco ornaments

Raqqa – “East of Raqqa” site – Western Palace – vegetable stucco ornaments

Tall Brak, one of the earliest and largest cities in northern Mesopotamia during the 4th millennium BC [Original photo name:eye temple4]

Tall Brak, one of the earliest and largest cities in northern Mesopotamia during the 4th millennium BC [Original photo name:eye temple4]

Stone carved panel on the ʿAyn Diwar bridge

Stone carved panel on the ʿAyn Diwar bridge

Raqqa - the excavations of the site "East of Raqqa" - Eastern Palace

Raqqa – the excavations of the site “East of Raqqa” – Eastern Palace

Raqqa, Raqqa, Bedouin family in their tent

Raqqa, Raqqa, Bedouin family in their tent

Maʿlula, traditional hillside houses with galleries opening to the valley during the 1960s

Maʿlula, traditional hillside houses with galleries opening to the valley during the 1960s

Traditional houses, Ma'lula

Traditional houses, Ma’lula

Monastry St. Sergius on the edge of the mountain plain overlooking Maʿlula

Monastry St. Sergius on the edge of the mountain plain overlooking Maʿlula

The historical centre of Maʿlula with St. Lawandius Church and hillside houses facing the valley

The historical centre of Maʿlula with St. Lawandius Church and hillside houses facing the valley

View of the old town from Maʿlula with its traditionally light blue painted facades

View of the old town from Maʿlula with its traditionally light blue painted facades

Chest of drawers in traditional inlay technique with mother of pearl in an old house in Maʿlula

Chest of drawers in traditional inlay technique with mother of pearl in an old house in Maʿlula

Staircase and old wooden door in a traditional House in Maʿlula

Staircase and old wooden door in a traditional House in Maʿlula

Maʿlula, traditional hillside houses with galleries during the 1960s

Maʿlula, traditional hillside houses with galleries during the 1960s

Maʿlula, the procession to the Holy Cross celebration also passes through the narrow alleys of the old town.

Maʿlula, the procession to the Holy Cross celebration also passes through the narrow alleys of the old town.

Raqqa, Qasr al-Banat, courtyard with northern Iwan

Raqqa, Qasr al-Banat, courtyard with northern Iwan

View from Tall Hamidiyya to the plain, Wadi Jaghjagh and fields

View from Tall Hamidiyya to the plain, Wadi Jaghjagh and fields