"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎٧‎١] (٧٣٨/٣٤٦)

CASTLES AND ZIYAREH’S
335
QaVat Sahyun, alt. 1,440 ft., lies E. by N. of Ladiqlyeh on
a tongue of rock forming an acute triangle jutting W. from
and attached to the base of a hill by which it is dominated.
It is a natural defence, being surrounded on all sides except
the E. by deep ravines carrying torrents which meet at the
western point of the triangle. On the E. it is isolated from
the hill by a deep and wide fosse. A road coming from NW.
leads into the northern valley and mounts to the fosse on the
E., then doubles round the SE. angle of the castle and enters
it at about the middle of the southern side. The Castle
commands a wide view of the surrounding country.
QaVat el-Mahalibeh, alt. 2,575 ft., lies E. by S. of Ladiqlyeh
crowning the summit of a mountain and dominating the
Jarge village of Dibbash to NW. It is oval in shape measuring
about 220 yds. on its long E. to W. axis. It stands near the
pass over which runs the road to Qardahah, and commands
a view to Ladiqlyeh.
QaVat Beni Isrd’il lies S. 1 of Matwar in a deep gorge
extending westward to the plain, which it defends.
QaVat es-Seijar, alt. 700 ft., is the most eastern fortress in
the mountain. It lies to the NW. of Hama and crowns the
crest of a narrow, rocky spur projecting northward and
bounded on the E. by the deep and precipitous gorge of the
Orontes, and on the N. and W. by rock precipices ; on the S.
the spur is isolated by a deep and wide fosse. In shape it is
a narrow parallelogram measuring about 550 yds. by 50 yds.
dominating the river and the plain. The remains have very
nearly disappeared except on the north and south, where
considerable portions still exist. The site is now occupied by
a modern village.
QaVat el-Marqab, alt. 1,150 ft., is a coast fortress south of
Baniyas, and stands on the summit of a volcanic rock close to
the sea. The site commands a very extensive view, and during
the time of the Crusades was an important signal station.
Now there is within its walls an Ansariyeh village, pop. 1,500,
which up to 1885 was the capital of the kaza.
1 On G.S.G.S. map 1915 Qal‘at Beni Isra’il is shown N. of Matwar.