Stone coffins in the southern Palace, Ebla (Tall Mardikh)

Stone coffins in the southern Palace, Ebla (Tall Mardikh)

View into a room in Palace G, Ebla (Tall Mardikh)

View into a room in Palace G, Ebla (Tall Mardikh)

A view of Royal Palace G, Tall Mardikh (Ebla)

A view of Royal Palace G, Tall Mardikh (Ebla)

A staircase was leading up to upper floor at Royal Palace G, Ebla (Tall Mardikh)

A staircase was leading up to upper floor at Royal Palace G, Ebla (Tall Mardikh)

Aleppo: Citadel, Palace, 13 C.

Aleppo: Citadel, Palace, 13 C.

Tall Brak (Nagar), ruins of Naram-Sin Palace, 3rd millennuim BC. [Original photo name: naram sin palace2]

Tall Brak (Nagar), ruins of Naram-Sin Palace, 3rd millennuim BC. [Original photo name: naram sin palace2]

A wall painting from Zimri-Lim’s palace in Mari (Tall al-Hariri), which is known as "The Ordinator of the Sacrifice" (ca. 1780 BC) and hangs in the Louvre.

A wall painting from Zimri-Lim’s palace in Mari (Tall al-Hariri), which is known as “The Ordinator of the Sacrifice” (ca. 1780 BC) and hangs in the Louvre.

Khan Qurdbak, southern part of the khan - iwan of the Mamluk palace

Khan Qurdbak, southern part of the khan – iwan of the Mamluk palace

Khan Qurdbak, iwan of the Mamluk palace

Khan Qurdbak, iwan of the Mamluk palace

Khan Qurdbak, iwan of the Mamluk palace

Khan Qurdbak, iwan of the Mamluk palace

Tall Brak (Nagar), ruins of Naram-Sin Palace, 3rd millennuim BC. [Original photo name: naram sin palace2]

Tall Brak (Nagar), ruins of Naram-Sin Palace, 3rd millennuim BC. [Original photo name: naram sin palace2]

Qasr (palace) al-Hayr al-Gharbi, view of the ruins

Qasr (palace) al-Hayr al-Gharbi, view of the ruins

Hama, The historic alley leading to al-ʿAzm Palace

Hama, The historic alley leading to al-ʿAzm Palace

Khan Qurtbak, southern part of Khan - the inner courtyard and the iwan of the Mamluk palace

Khan Qurtbak, southern part of Khan – the inner courtyard and the iwan of the Mamluk palace

Mari (Tall al-Hariri), the palace's cistern made of baked brick (beginning of 2nd millennium BC)

Mari (Tall al-Hariri), the palace’s cistern made of baked brick (beginning of 2nd millennium BC)

Raqqa, Grand Abbasid Mosque - Plan

Raqqa, Grand Abbasid Mosque – Plan

Raqqa countryside, a traditional wedding ceremony in Suwaydiyya Kabira village

Raqqa countryside, a traditional wedding ceremony in Suwaydiyya Kabira village

Church of the Armenians in ar-Raqqa

Church of the Armenians in ar-Raqqa

Raqqa, Baghdad Gate, Façade decorations: three-lobed niches and arched frames resting on colonnette

Raqqa, Baghdad Gate, Façade decorations: three-lobed niches and arched frames resting on colonnette

Raqqa, Baghdad Gate, Façade decorations: three-lobed niches and arched frames resting on colonnette

Raqqa, Baghdad Gate, Façade decorations: three-lobed niches and arched frames resting on colonnette

Raqqa, hypothetic reconstruction of the prayer hall of Grand Abbasid Mosque (al-Jamiʿ al-ʿAtiq)

Raqqa, hypothetic reconstruction of the prayer hall of Grand Abbasid Mosque (al-Jamiʿ al-ʿAtiq)

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

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

Raqqa, Grand Abbasid Mosque - Plan

Raqqa, Grand Abbasid Mosque – Plan

Raqqa - Remains of the southern arcade of al-Jamiʿ al-ʿAtiq (Great Mosque)

Raqqa – Remains of the southern arcade of al-Jamiʿ al-ʿAtiq (Great Mosque)

Raqqa, Great Mosque (al-Jamiʿ al-ʿAtiq), the courtyard

Raqqa, Great Mosque (al-Jamiʿ al-ʿAtiq), the courtyard

Raqqa - remains of the southern arcade of al-Jamiʿ al-ʿAtiq (Great Mosque)

Raqqa – remains of the southern arcade of al-Jamiʿ al-ʿAtiq (Great Mosque)

Raqqa, Great Mosque; Aerial view

Raqqa, Great Mosque; Aerial view

Raqqa countyside, shepherd with traditional woolen coat in the village Suwaydiyya Kabira

Raqqa countyside, shepherd with traditional woolen coat in the village Suwaydiyya Kabira

Archaeological finds from Raqqa, exhibited in the Damascus National Museum

Archaeological finds from Raqqa, exhibited in the Damascus National Museum

Archaeological finds from Raqqa, exhibited in the Damascus National Museum

Archaeological finds from Raqqa, exhibited in the Damascus National Museum