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Arwad
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The Central
Castle
Arwad citadel occupies the mid area and the highest part of the island. It is
from the 13th century (the Crusaders era). The Ottomans added new
institutions to it. It is ascended by a side stairs for a warlike necessity.
The Lucian emblem was engraved twice. The door leads to a hall which has a
narrow stone stairs on the right leads to the roof. The hall leads to a yard
which is surrounded by rooms which contain fireplaces for warming, and some
other contains water wells for collecting the rain coming from the roof. Four
towers increased its fortification. The Balcones, gaps for throwing darts,
stone gears, and burners are distributed on their walls. The south-west tower
is devoted as a pharos. It is, also, divided in to three parts: The 1st
and the 2nd are connected by a door. A part of the citadel was
devoted as a mosque.
France and Turkey used it as a casern. The French used some rooms as jails,
torture places, and as an exile. It hosted the prisoners who fought the enemy.
So, it was called the noble's bastion worthily. After the independence of
Syria, the General Office of Ruins and Museums restored it in order to be in a
good shape, and made it a local museum to be as a golden record of the island.
It contains:
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A collection of corals (the
treelike).
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A beautiful collection of
Venus’s irons.
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A collection of glass and
fictile ruins which was discovered in the sea and the old ports.
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Types of boats which were
used till the recent days.
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The methods of fishing and
sponge hunting.
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A hall devoted for the
modern art concerning the marine life.
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A model of Phoenician ship.
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Statues and part of statues
found in Arwad and the subjected areas.
The
coastal citadel: (The Ayyopian Tower)
www.tartoos.com
The first thing which attracts the sight when approaching the island is the
citadel. It is on the eastern coast, and towers directly over the port.
It has one main entrance, topped by the Lucian emblem. It leads to a hall, and
this, in turn, leads to an uncovered yard surrounded by rooms which are
climbed by a narrow stone stairs. Over the entrance, there is a ceiled
interval. On the sides, there are two rooms like a dome. Two towers increase
its fortification on the western side. Balcones, burners and gaps for throwing
darts are at all sides. Over the entrance, there is an engraved boss in the
form of a hand in order to put the flag staff or the flambeau.www.tartoos.com
The Stone Anchors:
The fishermen used it till the end of 1950s, but it disappeared completely in
the 1960s. They used it to reach the seabed quickly during the hunting of the
sponge. Also the nets were equipped by small anchors of different sizes with
two or three holes. One of these holes is for knitting the robe, and the
others are for putting a strong stick in order to be dug in the sand. They
are, sometimes, made of the sand, basaltic, or lime stone.
The Commercial Life
- The coins of Arwad:
Arwad had reached a very important step of civilization and rise. It stamped
its own coins using different life styles on it.
The first coins had the head of the god Dijon. As time passed, the picture of
Dijon had developed, and some marine characteristic had been added on the
coins. The lower part of the body was like a fish, and the back of the coin
had a dolphin or a winged horse.www.tartoos.com
- The Navy of Arwad:
Arwad is a small island. It has a double port near the coast. It has an
excellent strategic site. This enabled it to possess an important and strong
fleet from old days till the Roman era.
- The Religious beliefs of the Arwad:
Arwad had known a great number of gods, and dignified them. The texts and
inscriptions referred to them. The gods were of unequal known ledge. They
were: Dijon, Zeus, and Poseidon.
Because Amrit presented the continental part of Arwad Kingdom, and the place
of the religious celebrations, we find the unique temple of Amrit which is dug
in the rocks.
Water is used for washing, and purgation. Roaming is done on feet or by boats.
It was intended for curing from diseases.www.tartoos.com
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