Social media pages have circulated an old photograph from the 1920s of the ”Syrian Pool” in As-Suwayda, now known as Samara Square, after it was filled in.
Archaeologist Dr. Ali Abu Assaf says, “This type of water reservoir is found only in southern Syria, particularly in Hauran and the lands adjacent to Mount Hauran to the south, where there are no rivers or abundant springs. Instead, there is plentiful rainfall in many years that is captured, while it is scarce in others. It was the perfect and necessary solution for continued stability, survival, and adaptation to the environment using the simplest methods.”
Abu Assaf added that “These pools are a human innovation; they were originally stone quarries from which stones were extracted for walls, arches, lintels, windows, and roof beams. The residents then repurposed the quarry, turning it into an aesthetic geometric structure to collect water. The Syrian Pool was the most beautiful and magnificent example of this—an engineering achievement characterized by durability and strength that withstood natural conditions and earthquakes for centuries, and the Syrian Pool remained for a long time the only source of drinking water in As-Suwayda.
It is noteworthy that the Syrian Pool was filled in during the 1970s, and Samara Square was built in its place.”
It is worth mentioning that the source of the photo is an article about As-Suwayda by journalist Myriam Harry, published in a French newspaper.
