Australian National University reports on what recently declassified satellite images have revealed about ancient human settlements in Syria, in an article from Physorg.com: Satellite images spy ancient history in Syria. The images are useful because they show an important part of the area before the recent spread of agricultural techniques. A member of a survey team that is investigating the Euphrates River valley reveals the historical importance of the area,

“The dolmen site in particular is a significant find, because in other parts of the Middle East these structures are usually associated with Bronze Age pastoral peoples,” Ms Mottram said. “Nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists leave very few archaeological marks, so the find will help us to understand the interplay between pastoralists and farmers at that time.”

(Syria Map image © Clipart.com)