Archaeological sights in Tyre (Sour)
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Al-Bass site
Al-Bass site On the landward side of Tyre, about 20 minutes on foot from the other sites, is the enormous Al-Bass Archaeological site. A colonnaded east-west road, possibly a continuation of the road at Al-Mina site, takes you through a vast funerary complex containing dozens of highly decorated marble and stone sarcophagi.
The more elaborate have reliefs depicting scenes from Greek mythology and Homeric epics. Most are from the 2nd and 3rd century AD, but some date back as far as the 2nd century BC, and there are Byzantine coffins from as late as the 6th century.A huge, triple-bay monumental archway stands further along the colonnaded street. Originally the gateway to…
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Al-Mina excavations
In an impressive setting leading down to the ancient Egyptian (south) harbour, the Al-Mina excavations incorporate remains of Roman and Byzantine Tyre. Upon entering, a double line of columns to the right is thought to be part of the agora (market place). Further down is a long colonnaded road leading directly to what was the southern harbour. The marble sections of the pavement date back to the Roman era, while the black-and-white mosaic street is Byzantine.
To the right of the road, below a modern cemetery, are the remains of an unusual, rectangular arena, with five rows of terraced seating cut in to limestone. In the centre was a pool that may have been used for some…
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