e. Archive
6. Inkhil

Palatial residence from the early Christian period. Reconstruction of the façades and restoration of the roof.

Location

The village of Inkhil is situated in the Western Hauran, 60 km south of Damascus in the Province of Deraa.

History

Neither name nor status of the ancient site is known. There are ruins of ancient rural residences and farmyards, which indicate the primarily rural character of this area. The standing remains suggest that substantial settlement of this region occurred primarily in the late-Roman and early Christian periods. 

Objectives

	Face Villa, South

The Inkhil villa (cf. image) is a palatial structure combining both representative and utilitarian buildings in one complex. The monument was built in the early Christian period (5th to 6th century AD). Reused masonry and brickwork from earlier structures form the sole building material of the entire complex (cf. image of the vaulted ceiling). Conservation work is being carried out on the structures with the aim of restoring and reconstructing the buildings. This entails the removal of large scale damaging additions to the structural substance as well as false reconstruction attempts. Later changes to the buildings, however, are to be preserved. 

Results

	Villa, vaulted ceiling in the main room
	Villa, South Face

Restoration work on the Inkhil villa was begun in spring 1998 under the supervision of G. Stanzl. Work on both the façade and the posterior wall has since been completed. The damaged walls were restored using basalt ashlars. The ceiling in the western wing was strengthened using 82 ready-made concrete beams. These were designed to reflect the ancient beams in both size and form. While the walls of the eastern set of rooms on the upper floor were being cleared, a hitherto unknown layout of the ancient rooms was discovered. The ceiling of this Eastern part of the structure is to represent the ancient original as accurately as possible - as was the case in the western wing. It is important, however, that the restored sections of the structure must be clearly distinguishable from the original ancient sections. 

Cooperation

Conservation work on the standing remains is being carried out in cooperation between the Syrian Directorate General of Antiquities, the Directorate of Antiquities of Deraa and the "Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Rheinland Pfalz" in Germany. 

Contact

Prof. Dr. Klaus Stefan Freyberger

Telefon: + 39-06-488814-1
Telefax: + 39-06-4884973
Email: freyberger@rom.dainst.org