Ancient Mayamas temples … unique architectural design dating back to 2nd century AD

Sweida, SANA- Mayamas village, about 20 km to the southeast of Sweida city, is rich in its antiquities which date back to different ages, the most prominent of which are its houses which have been built of basalt stone and the two archeological temples that narrate stories about the deep-rooted history of the village.

Head of Sweida Antiquities Department, Nashat Kiwan said that the two Mayamas temples’ date back to the Roman era in the first half of the 2^nd century AD, pointing out that the two temples carry marvelous geometric shapes similar to other temples in Syria which were known in that period as is the case in Salim Temples, al-Mushannaf temple and Si’a and Qanawat as that era witnessed a flourishment in the architectural motifs in Horan region as a whole.

Kiwan indicated that the external architectural design of the two temples reflects their enormity as they were built next to each other and they are located on one axis over an area of about 8 meters, and in the Byzantine era they were transformed into a Church.

Archeologist Butler visited Mayamas temples in the beginning of 20^th century and he indicated that there are two temples between the residential houses in the village which were transformed into a church later.

It is worth mentioning that Mayamas village is distinguished by its charming nature as it is surrounded by hills covered with evergreen oak tree.

Hybah Sleman / Ruaa al-Jazaeri