The joint Syrian-Italian archaeological mission has resumed its excavation, research, and documentation work at the Tel al-Samhaneh site in the village of Al-Bassa, Lattakia governorate, after a hiatus of more than a year.
Dr. Lorenzo Alfonso, head of the Italian team, told SANA that Tel al-Samhaneh was a small settlement dating back to the Late Bronze Age-a period before the classical era, when the region was known for the kingdom of Ugarit. Ugarit has long been a focal point for Syrian and French archaeologists.
The Italian archaeologist noted that Tel al-Samhaneh had not been the focus of previous excavations. However, it is now the core project of the Syrian-Italian mission. “This year, for the first time, we have an archaeobotanist and a zooarchaeologist on site,” he said. “This will allow us to fully excavate plant and animal remains, enabling precise scientific analysis.”
Dr. Alfonso also expressed satisfaction with the smooth approval process to resume work at the site, which proceeded without complications. He praised the warm welcome he received upon returning to Syria and noted that the situation is far better than what many outside the country might imagine.
On the Syrian side, archaeologist Mohammad Radwan from the Lattakia Department of Antiquities emphasized the significance of the Italian mission’s return.
He highlighted its role in revitalizing international cooperation in archaeological research, promoting cultural and scientific exchange, and paving the way for future missions-such as the French team, which is expected to return soon to the Ugarit site.
The coming excavations will focus on “studying non-elite communities that once inhabited the Syrian coast near Ugarit”, Radwan said in order to better understand economic relations and trade exchanges among these settlements.
Tel al-Samhaneh is located approximately 800 meters from the mouth of the Northern Great River and close to the seashore. The Syrian-Italian mission began excavations there in 2014, uncovering a series of archaeological layers, some dating to the Byzantine period and others to the Middle and Late Bronze Ages.
