BURNT PALACE (BURNT PALACE)

In this ancient and imposing 7th century private residence discovered in 1905, excavations revealed several portions of mosaics on the floor. The palace, located on the edge of an ancient Roman road, is believed to have burned down in the Byzantine period, possibly during the earthquake of 749, and was subsequently abandoned. Although almost no trace remains of the palace, with its vaulted halls and columns, the floors bear witness to the wealth of its owners. The mosaic in the hall depicts pastoral and hunting scenes and, at the entrance, a pair of sandals in a medallion. In the extension of the building are several rooms, all of which contain fragments of mosaic pavements that are more or less well preserved. The northern ones feature a statue of the goddess Tyche, the Greek goddess of good fortune, and a fragment of a creation representing the four seasons. In the room in the west wing, there is a succession of geometric designs forming an elegant floor carpet, with the centerpiece being a lion killing a bull.

Near the burnt-out palace, there are also the few remains of the Church of the Martyrs (Al-Khadir), dating from the 6th century. Its mosaic pavement was unfortunately heavily damaged during the height of the iconoclastic period led by the Umayyads and the following Muslim dynasties.