Damascus, May 18 (SANA) Beehive houses in Syria’s al-Jazira region, steppe, and agricultural countryside are facing a growing risk of disappearance amid rapid urbanisation and a shift toward reinforced concrete construction, researchers said.
Part of one of the world’s oldest earth-building traditions, such structures in the Levant date back to around 3,700 BCE and range from conical beehive houses in northern Syria to larger courtyard dwellings built by Bronze and Iron Age civilisations.
The beehive houses of northern Syria and the wider rural Levant are constructed entirely from sun-dried mud bricks, without steel or cement. Their conical dome design provides natural climate control by allowing hot air to rise and escape through the apex, while thick earthen walls insulate against desert heat. Researchers say interior temperatures can remain 3°C to 4°C cooler than outside conditions.
Many of these historic villages, particularly in rural Aleppo province, are threatened by abandonment and disappearance due to war-related damage, displacement, structural deterioration, and lack of maintenance.
Ancient construction techniques
Researcher Talha al-Harib told SANA the houses represent an early stage of human settlement development, emerging as populations moved from caves and natural shelters to permanent dwellings in river valleys and semi-arid plains.
He said the structures are built from mud, water, and straw, forming thick load-bearing walls that support self-standing domes through layered earthen techniques refined over generations.
Al-Harib said the dome shape serves both structural and environmental purposes, helping regulate temperatures and making the houses particularly suited to rural and desert-edge environments.
He added that mud construction is low-cost, locally sourced, non-polluting, and environmentally sustainable, with natural materials that stabilise indoor humidity and reduce exposure to harsh weather conditions.
In his book “Earth architecture in Syria: an eleven-millennia tradition”, Algerian-French architect Mahmoud Bendakir traces earth construction in Syria back to prehistoric times, noting the widespread use of adobe and stone. He said local builders developed advanced techniques for shaping, drying, and stacking earth materials to create durable walls and self-supporting domes adapted to local climate conditions.
Social life and rural identity
Beehive houses also reflect rural social organisation and daily life, with internal courtyards surrounded by rooms used for sleeping, cooking, and storage, while rooftops are used for drying crops and storing agricultural produce.
Al-Harib said courtyards traditionally served as centres of family and communal life, reflecting close ties between rural communities, agriculture, and the natural environment.
Similar earth-built dome structures exist outside Syria, including the trulli of southern Italy, corbelled stone houses in Ireland and Scotland, and dome dwellings in Harran, Türkiye, where beehive-style homes remain in use.
Threats to survival
Despite their cultural and environmental significance, beehive houses in Syria are in decline as younger generations increasingly avoid mud structures and the number of skilled craftsmen continues to shrink, Al-Harib said.
He added that many buildings require frequent maintenance, particularly after rainy seasons, as erosion and water damage weaken earthen materials, leading many residents to replace them with concrete structures requiring less upkeep.
Experts say preserving beehive architecture is important not only for heritage protection but also for climate adaptation and energy efficiency, amid growing calls to revive sustainable construction methods.
Despite the decline, beehive homes remain standing in parts of rural Syria, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas, serving as enduring reminders of ancient building traditions and the long-standing relationship between people, land, and climate.
M.F / ABD
