Northern Syria

Until the tragic events that have affected Syria since 2011, this country has been the subject of numerous archaeological research programs, a number of which have allowed for a better understanding of the Islamic period. Located on the crossroads of trade and military routes and geographically diverse, the history and culture of northern Syria has been impacted by the movements of peoples through the region and exhibits a distinct regionalism. This chapter gives an overview of the recent advances in the main areas on which Syrian fieldwork has focused: the early Islamic city, the development of the territory by the Umayyad elite, rural settlement, religion, and border defense. In each case, the author mentions only the most recent publications, within which the reader will find a further bibliography.