Shinan, Syria
Shinan (Arabic: شنان) is a village located in the eastern side of Jebel az-Zawiya in Syria. It is located about 30 km to the south of Idlib and north-west of Maarrat al-Nu'man at a distance about 13 km in very rugged terrain. It is in the administrative district of Ariha. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Shinan had a population of 2,025 in the 2004 census.[1]
Shinan شنان | |
|---|---|
  Shinan Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates: 35°44′7″N 36°36′42″E | |
| Country |  |
| Governorate | Idlib Governorate |
| District | Ariha District |
| Nahiyah | Ariha |
| Elevation | 750 m (2,460 ft) |
| Population (2004 census)[1] | |
| • Total | 2,025 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Website | www.shnan.co.cc |
Architecture
The houses are a mixture of Byzantine, Roman and early Islamic heritage and AlGhams (mud) houses that were prevalent in the late Ottoman epoch. Modern buildings are built on the sides of a valley from east to west.
Archaeology
Shnan village contains many archaeological sites belonging mostly to the Romans and Byzantines. Umm Serfos was a station for the caravans that went from Ebla to Ugarit. Its impacts are visible in a highland area west of the village. It operates as a summer resort because it remains cool in the summer and offers a beautiful view to Eastern region of the village.
The village contains many Roman tombs carved in the rock and hidden in caves. It also contains a plate carved in the rock with a painting of Nero, with a lion and a young girl.
Economy
The primary occupation is agriculture, despite the severe ruggedness of its terrain. A main crop is apricot trees. Production reached more than 75 tons of apricots in 2008.
Services
The village hosts two schools for basic education (first cycle and second cycle), a branch for Consumption (Cooperative) Society, a mosque, a pharmacy. Electricity, water and telephone services are present.
References
- General Census of Population and Housing 2004. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Idlib Governorate. Archived at . (in Arabic)
