Zarzita (زرزيتا) is a small village with scattered Byzantine-era remains to the southwest of Jebel Samaan (جبل سمعان). The village seems to date from the fifth and sixth centuries, a period when the local agricultural industry was flourishing and there was a surplus to support a large number of monastic communities. Today, it is a small village inhabited by perhaps a couple dozen families. While the …
Serjableh (سرجبله) is an extensive Byzantine site that includes the remains of an impressive monastic tower and at least three churches. At the northern end of the site is a particularly well preserved monastic tower, one of the largest in the limestone massif. Immediately south of the tower are the remains of several villas in varying states of preservation, along with a moderately well preserved …
The remains at the Byzantine site of Kafr Lusein (كفر لوسين), to the northwest of al-Dana (الدانا), include small but well preserved monastic tower and a moderately well preserved church and villa. Other remains are in a far worse state of preservation, and were probably domestic buildings. The ruins are on the southwestern edge of a small modern village and are surrounded by olive groves. This is …
