Rock art of the Hemma Plateau (Syrian Jazeerah)
Dated carvings
Seleucid-Arsacid-Roman period (323 BC - 395 AD)

Chronology

308-129 BC

Seleucid domination

141/138 BC

Mithridates I conquers Mesopotamia

132 BC

Foundation of the kingdom of Osrhoene

129/126BC

Phraates II kills the last powerful Seleucid, Antiochus VII Sidetes. Mesopotamia is progressively occupied by Phraates II and Artaban II

113 BC

Mithridates II takes Dura-Europus and makes Osrhoene a vassal state

94 BC

Treaty of Mithridates II with Rome. The border of the Parthian Empire is established along the Euphrates

64 BC

Western Syria becomes a Roman province (Pompeius)

53 BC

Crassus attacks Orodes II at Carrhae (Harran) but is defeated

40 BC

Parthian invasion (Pacorus) in western Syria

38 BC

Pacorus and the Parthians are defeated at mons Amanus, the border is again stabilized on the Euphrates

114-117 AD

Trajan's expedition in Mesopotamia, fights against Vologesus III. Trajan reaches Ctesiphon in 115, but can not keep the control of it

163 AD

Parthian troops invaded northern Mesopotamia, deposed the local Edessan king Manu VIII and put on the throne their own candidate Wael bar Sahru

164 AD

The Parthians are defeated by the Romans (Lucius Verus) who occupy Edesse and Nisibis and control the Habur valley until 167/168 ? The former king of Osrhoene, Manu VIII, is reinstated

167-177 AD

A great part of Osrhoene becomes Christian under Abgar VIII

197 AD

Septimius Severus reconquers Mesopotamia. Osrhoene becomes a Roman province

213 AD

Caracalla kills the king of Osrhroene Abgar IX, Edessa is finally annexed

225 AD

End of the Arsacid empire

244 AD

Philippus Arabs makes a treaty with the Sassanids in which he agrees to leave Mesopotamia to them. The kingdom of Osrhoene desappears

247 AD

Harran and Urfa again under Roman domination

395 AD

The Roman Empire splits in two. The Osrhoene Province becomes a part of the Eastern Roman Empire, i.e., Byzantium

Rectangular bodies

'Eb n-Naga : Human character and bird.
Above : undeciphered inscription.

Jordan : Pebble with carving of a horseman and safaitic inscriptions (after: al-Khreyshah 2005).

        The potsherd, from the Parthian settlement of Tell Beydar (left), dates back to the 1st century BC. Resemblances with the carvings from 'Eb n-Naga and from Jordan allow to suppose a similar date for them.

        Similarities can be observed in the way of drawing the human body, ductus and approach of the body as a set of pieces sticked together. Both are profoundly different of the traditional Mesopotamian styles.

        The dromedary and the sheep represented on the vessel illustrate a connection between the drawing and nomadism. Nomads were probably responsible for the diffusion of this style.

Tell Beydar : incised human character and animals (inv.: TB 1465C2), 1st century BC (R. Martín Galán, pers. comm.).

        The similarity of the clothes on the rock carving and the Jordanian pebble suggests that the cloth of the figure in 'Eb n-Naga is not a Parthian one.

        Other figures with a rectangular body (cloth ?) could belong approximately to the same period :

Khishâm-1 North 3 : rock 27b.

Messaoudiah : survey 2002.

Figures in Parthian cloth

Another series of carvings show human figures wearing Parthian clothes : mainly a short belted tunic; the representation of throusers is not certain.

Khishâm-2 :
rock F104.

Khishâm-2 :
rock E16 (detail).

Heracles - Nergal

        At least one deity carrying a bird on his head and holding an axe can be identified with an Heracles-Nergal belonging to the Arsacid period.

Hatra : limestone relief showing the god Heracles-Nergal. Probably IInd century AD (from : Colledge 1967 : 159, fig. 46).

Khishâm-1 South : rock 53.