'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎418] (499/905)

418
REMAINS OF RESSAFA. [CHAP. XVIII.
Necropolis of Like the great city on which it was dependent, the
Zenobia. Necropolis occupies a prominent situation in the valley and
along the declivity of the hill westward of the town, and it
is remarkable for a number of square towers precisely of the
same construction as those near Palmyra. These monuments
of mortality usually consist of three stories, the lowest and
middle appear to have been tenements of the dead; whilst the
upper story served as a place of defence, and terminated either
with a flat, or a pyramidal roof surrounded by battlements.
In one of these tombs Captain Lynch recently discovered a
female mummy whose face was covered with a thin mask of
the finest gold, which is to be seen at the India House; and
in another tomb is an inscription, which was copied by Mr.
Ains worth. 1
ei Ressafa. In this part of Syria, at the distance, according to the
Arabs, of four hours southward of A1 Hammam, is the El
Ressafa of the Ommiade Khaliphs, 2 which no doubt connected
Palmyra with the Zeugma. It is entirely deserted, but cannot
be called ruinous; the walls and many of the interior build
ings being in an excellent state of preservation. The town
displays a mixture of ancient with Saracenic, Muhammedan,
and Christian architecture ; the last being of a comparatively
late period, since there is a well-built modern Greek Church
within the walls.
T^rivcr In the western and northern portions of the district are
several fine valleys lying along the Kersin, the Sajur, and
their affluents. The former river rises in the hills a little
way south-west of Rum Kal'ah, and flows southward to the
Kurdish village of Kara dash; from thence it proceeds south-
south-eastward by that of Rashil, and continues in the same
direction between undulating hills; it passes about eight miles
westward of the village and Tell of Balkis, on which latter
are the ruins of a temple, and at length washes the flourishing
and now celebrated Kasabah of Nizil, which contains about
1 / U) AW . KO
A0060MA
Jaubert s Edrisi, p. 137, tome YI.—Recueil de Voyages, &c. Paris, 1840.