The site of Tell es-Sweyhat, located on the banks of the Euphrates River, was an important center of agro-pastoral exchange and ritual life in Ancient Syria. The site today consists of a central temple, fortress, tombs, and domestic architecture, conjoining the sacred and the profane into a single settlement. Structures from later occupations, including a Seleucid village and cemetery as well as a Roman outpost, expose students to a wide variety of contexts and time periods. For more information about the site and excavation, see www.jezireh.org.

Students will work on all aspects of the Tell es-Sweyhat research project, including settlement survey, remote sensing, excavation, laboratory work and museology. At the same time students will also experience life in a traditional Syrian village of the Jezireh region. Visits to archaeological and cultural sites will complement the curriculum and may include Aleppo, the Old City of Damascus, and the desert city of Palmyra.

The program provides an unparalleled introduction to both the ancient and the modern Near East. Upon successful completion of the program, students earn eight Boston University credits.