Faftertin (Arabic:فافرتين;Kurdish:Fafirtîn) is a village in northwesternSyria, located in theJebel Sem'an region of theDead Cities. The village was founded in the 4th centuryCE, and in 2011 it was named aUNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Dead Cities. The only structure preserved in the village is theapse of its church, one of theoldest surviving churches in the world.[1] It had a population of 507 in the 2004 census.[2]
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Fafertin is located under a crest on an eastward slope[3] in the heart of the Jebel Sem'an region.[4] There is arable land on the nearby ridge and valley, and the town is still inhabited byKurds.[5]
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The only archaeological remain at Fafertin is the church, and its apse stands in good condition.[6] The earliest surviving church in Syria, it dates to 372 CE, as mentioned in an inscription found byH. C. Butler on the eastern doorwaylintel of the southaisle.[7] A complete record of the church plan was observed and recorded by Butler during the Princeton Archaeological Expedition in 1905, but much of the structure has deteriorated since.[7] Today, the triumphal arch, which has four bands, and a circle with achi rho symbol at its center decorates the arch'skeystone is still preserved at the church's east end. The apse was originally flanked by square side chambers, both accessed from the aisles. The doorway to the north chamber from the aisle is still preserved. The south chamber also had a southern doorway, leading to the outside. The church's north wall was essentially cut out of the natural rock on the hillside.[4] The church comprised anave of seven bays, with one entrance at the west end and two onto the south aisle. The columncapitals of the nave arcade hadDoric andTuscan designs, while the interior and exterior doorways, along with their rectangularclerestory windows, had no ornament.[4] Nothing remains of thebema once located in the center of the nave.[1]
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{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)36°19′14″N36°54′27″E / 36.32056°N 36.90750°E /36.32056; 36.90750