"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد III. ١٩١٧" [‎٣‎٠‎٢] (٤٣٢/٣١١)

302
LAND ROUTES
Miles from
Anali
183|
184i
188|
195i
197^
201
2094
210
211i
2121
212|
216|
220|
222i
228±
232i
236i
243
Qabr el-Abu Atiq, ruins, 150-200 ft. above the Euphrates
the ground falling steeply to an old bed of the river.
Descend and cross a diy stream-bed.
Emerge from the defile on to the plain.
Tel el-Khumeidah, isolated hill about 2 m. to 1.
Eeach the Euphrates at the upper end of a western bend.
El-'Aleh. Afadleh tent-village in tamarisk jungle li-2 m.
to 1.
El-Kh.as, tent-village in a clearing.
Track now passes through tamarisk thicket.
Pass Imam Abu Saideb, Moslem shrine and cemetery.
Jedideb, tent-village.
Kbirbet ed-Dukbujeb.
Ebirbet Hadawi.
Meida. Grassy mounds near the river. Some distance
beyond this point an area surrounded with a deep ditch
is crossed.
Kubur el-Jebel. Encampments in the neighbourhood.
Pass the Jebel Muukbir, a volcanic ridge 1 m. to r.
which rises several hundred feet above the plain. From
the summit the Jebel Munkhir esh-Sharqi can be seen
lying about 3 m. E., and almost due N. on the horizon
rising ground called Jebel 'Ukala (Tulaba).
Limestone tel with traces of masonry on the top.
Eeach the Belikb and cross by a ford or a light wooden
bridge. In the early spring of 1908 the Belikh was a
muddy brook. In Dec. 1879 the ford was girth high,
and the river seemed likely to be unfordable after heavy
rain. Cross marshy ground as far as Eaqqah.
Tel Zedan, hill running N. and S. about 2 m. to r.
Haqqab.
Track now WNW., partly in the plain, partly along the
edge of the desert plateau.
Euin of Hiraklia, a rectangular fortress, almost square,
with a series of vaulted chambers forming the outer parts
of the block and apparently larger vaulted chambers filling
up the centre. At the angles are four round towers. The
masonry is mostly of unsquared stones laid in a bed of
very coarse mortar mixed with small stones, but the
vaults are of brick tiles. The fortress is ringed round
by an outer wall now completely ruined. Beyond it to
the S. runs a dyke, and beyond the dyke, about 550 yds.