ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM

Watch the rôdeurs in front of the museum, trying to get you a ticket for the graves, even if you want to visit the museum only. Audioguide in French free at the entrance.

A true gem, this museum deserves to be spent at least one hour's visit. It exhibits superb pieces. Explanations are given in French. The small garden facing the entrance presents a beautiful set of statues, one of which is 3,50 m from the Mothers temple.

Right wing by entering.

Room 1. Very interesting signs present palmyrénienne writing. They complement the very clear explanations of the museum of Deir ez-Zor. On the right wall, one can see the oldest palmyrénienne inscription (44 BC).

Room 2. Model of the temple of Bêl.

Room 3. In front of the entrance, look at the palmyrénien boat with double rudder. Before you reach the next room, you must dwell on the magnificent camel relief packed.

Room 4. See, on the right, a relief depicting the temple of Baalshamin. He represents an eagle to the wings deployed surrounded by two smaller eagles. These are Aglibol (the Moon, left) and Malakbêl (right). See also, mosaics found in private houses and tessères and oil lamps from the great times of Palmyra. In the middle, two very beautiful windows exhibiting fine stone sculptures: statues, heads of personnalités, or many heads of children who give an idea of childhood 2 000 years ago.

Wing on the left. A statue of the Mothers goddess stands in the gallery, a statue of the Déesse goddess.

The following rooms are certainly the most beautiful of the museum. They expose the recent discoveries of 2007.

Room 4. Immediately right on the right, you admire a relief decorated with a funeral banquet scene. The head of the family is richly clothed: leather boots, tunic, large trousers. Other reliefs, from the tomb of Zubida, the heir of a large family of Palmyra, and the tomb of Zabda.

Room 5. Again a funeral banquet scene at the bottom of the room, where a long registration is arranged. All of them spotted the tomb of Bolabrak (a rich Palmyrénien). Registration is a fine example of cursive writing (from top down). Left of this relief, a woman wears her child.

This room, and the next one, highlight the skill of palmyréniens artists. Fatigue or old age features are accentuated on the faces while women are adorned with their beaux.