A Syrian-French archeological team has excavated a new archeological city at Rawda site, 70 KM east of the central Syrian city of Salamieh, dating back to the Early Bronze period or the second millenium BCE.
     Radi Oqda, director of Archeology and Museums in Hama and senior Syrian archeologists at the joint Syrian-French team, said the unearthed city is surrounded by three valleys from the south, west and north, making it a significant trade and agrarian center at that period. The 400-meter diameter city is surrounded by two walls with mud bases, and the upper parts made from stones, proving they were supported and restored in later periods.
     A place for worshipping, along with two other less important chambers for priests, were discovered at the site. One of the two chambers has a clay pot full of beads originated in Afghanistan, and sea shells which could be originated on the Syrian coast.

Source: Sana-Syria (28 October 2003)