The Syrian Desert’s Ancient Rose

The beauty of the Bride of the Desert, as Palmyra was often called by ancient travellers, continues to this day to captivate visitors – representing Syria’s biggest tourist attraction.

Text & Photo by Svetlana Dingarac

Palmyra, or the City of Palms as ancient Romans used to call it, was in ancient times one of the richest cities of the Middle East. Founded nearly 4,000 years ago in the very heart of the Syrian Desert, it was located at the crossroads of the eastward-bound trade routes that led from Rome to Persia, India and China. Hundreds of miles away from the nearest rivers, surrounded only by endless sand, stones and steppe, this desert oasis was the destination of caravans laden with the finest merchandise from all quarters of the Old World. Loads of Chinese silk, Phoenician purpure, Indian perfume, precious spices, olive oil, wine and wool passed through Palmyra’s gates as its residents expanded their network of trade from the Indian Ocean in the east to what is today Britain in the west. The city flourished in the third century during the reign of the ambitious Queen Zenobia, when its influence and vast riches briefly threatened the power of illustrious Rome.

"I dream of rain, I dream of gardens in the desert sand …" – quietly singing the lyrics of Sting’s song Desert Rose, I journey from Damascus towards Palmyra through the barren landscape of the Syrian Desert. Herds of camels can be discerned in the distance, as the poor settlements of nomad tribes that roam this inhospitable terrain in continual search for water.

The Syrian Desert or Badiyat Ash Sham, as it is also called in Arabic, stretches between the fertile banks of the Mediterranean in the west and the valley of the Euphrates River in the east and covers the territory of what is today Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Its inhabitants call themselves Bedouins – sons of the desert. The great, daily fluctuations in temperature, scarce water wells and sparse vegetation make the life of the Bedouins very tough. But these desert wolves find it very hard to exchange their freedom for the boons of the modern way of life. Although the Syrian government is making every effort to settle them in permanent dwelling places – by providing free building materials for them to build houses and other facilities with, many of them still prefer living in the traditional tents made of camel hair and wandering from place to place. Large families, numbering between twenty and fifty members, mostly consist of men with their three or four wives and numerous children. The age-old strict division of labour and customs continue to be upheld by these nomadic communities. The Bedouins are great lovers of horses and the art of story-telling, and regard strength of character, courage and honour as the most important character traits. Although they have a hard time finding food, they are highly hospitable and will always share with a stranger their modest meal consisting mostly of rice and beans, or will offer visitors a cup of tea. Throughout the Arab world, Bedouins included, drinking the highly sweetened tea represents a special ritual that is repeated several times a day.

I continue on with my journey, passing kilometre after kilometre of sand, rock and unusual samples of wind erosion. The road is almost deserted. From time to time, a motorcyclist rushes by with his head fully covered in the traditional Bedouin red and white scarf with just a slit remaining open for the eyes, or some vehicle passes whose unorthodox shape, decorations and origin are difficult to define. Such manually assembled vehicles, made from the different parts of automobiles, reflect their owners’ personal affinities and imagination, but could hardly be imagined running on the roads of Western Europe.

All of a sudden we come across a positively unreal sight. In the middle of the desert, there is a sign with the words "Baghdad Café" printed on it, reminiscent of the one featured in the renowned American film of the same name. The café’s interior is done in the Bedouin style, with a fascinating collection of everyday objects. The kind hosts inform me, as we sip the inevitable cup of tea, that they got the idea to open a café from the numerous tourists that frequently stop by their tents seeking respite and refreshment. The fact that it is on the road to Baghdad, just several dozen kilometres from the Iraqi border, explains the origin of the name.

At long last I arrive in Palmyra, or Tadmor, as it is also called; a small town abounding in contrasts. In the middle of the desert, surrounded by bare hills and hot sand, one finds lines of palm trees, green gardens and a pool with water in it. Lined up side by side are luxury five-star hotels and modest clay houses surrounded by high walls. In the streets, alongside Western girls wearing thin dresses and halter tops pass Arab women whose bodies are entirely covered and faces veiled. Most modern doubledecker tourist buses are parked next to the local "public transport" in the form of an open truck in which passengers are carried sitting on plastic chairs. By far the greatest contrast is to be found at the meeting point of two civilizations, of which one is some 17 centuries older.

The imposing sight of majestic temples and hundreds of slender pillars – reminders of a world that has long since disappeared – continues to this day to invite the respect and admiration of visitors from all quarters of the world. The Temple of Bel, the agora, the amphitheatre, the central avenue, the tetrapilon, the baths and Zenobia’s Palace represent genuine masterpieces of ancient architecture and reflect the significance and wealth of ancient Palmyra. Although it was once part of the great Roman Empire, Palmyra enjoyed the status of a free city, a fact instrumental in the development of free trade as well as the might and influence of its rulers.

Stories about the legendary Queen Zenobia are still going around. It was during her reign that Palmyra reached its zenith. This wise, strong-willed woman of exceptional beauty rallied at her court many philosophers, savants and theologians. In an effort to dispense with Roman domination and governed by great ambition, in just a short period her soldiers conquered all of Syria, Egypt and reached as far as Asia Minor. She also assumed the title of august, reserved only for Roman emperors, and began to mint coins with her image. Emperor Aurelian then dispatched a large army to seize Palmyra, which it did after quelling a brief resistance. The defeated queen was taken to Rome in golden chains where she later poisoned herself.

The great kingdom fared no better than its unfortunate queen. By way of revenge, the Romans destroyed it and turned the city into a Roman military camp. After the great earthquake of 1089, the city was deserted, left to oblivion and the desert sands. It was only during the last century that extensive excavations and exploration of this area began.

Of special interest are the tombs scattered over the nearby hills beyond the city walls with preserved fragments of frescoes. The tombs differ from one another in construction depending on the wealth and influence of the persons whose remains they hold. Thus, there are tombs built in the shape of tall towers and houses, those with a network of underground chambers as well as those that are more modest – intended to receive the remains of a family over a period of two hundred years.

On a nearby hill stands a fortress dating back to the beginning of the seventeenth century. It was built by Fakhr Ad Din, who was captain of the guard in Palmyra. Today, this is a romantic place offering a view of the sunset over the desert. Every evening, many tourists are joined by locals who come to watch this majestic sight in silence.

And while the fiery disc of the sun sinks behind the distant mountains, from the minarets comes the last call for prayer. Shouts of "allah akbar!" echo through the deserted streets, traverse to the walls of the Temple of Bel, rebound between the pillars and disappear in the vast expanse of sand and stone. Only God is great, only God is eternal. Watching the ruins of the ancient Palmyra, I wonder whether there is any greater truth than this…