The Syrian crisis and the Antioch project

As I might have made clear in previous posts, I'm an archaeologist by profession with a specialty in Hellenistic (and early Roman) Syria. I have visited and worked in the Syrian Arab Republic on numerous occasions and the news and images which trickle out of the country as the civil war continues is quite distressing. The families with whom I have lived and worked are all within the territory now controlled by the Free Syria Army and communication is non-existent.

I generally don't like putting personal pleas for causes on unrelated websites (after all, this blog is devoted to wars and conflicts), but for this cause I'd like to make an exception. I have posted three links to Aid organisations below. If you are in any position to spare a few pounds to help those trying to bring medical and food aid to people whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by the ongoing civil war, or even if you just want to know a little bit more about the conflict, please follow the links. The cost of a quick lunch out, a take away meal or night at the pub can make a real difference to people's lives.

Disaster Emergency Committee Syria Appeal

UNHCR Syria Appeal

War Child Syria Appeal

In other news, I have recently been reminded that a chapter which I was writing for a forthcoming book on the early Seleukids is very over due. As a result, I will have to devote any spare time between digging and daddying over the next few weeks to writing so I may be silent for a while. I leave you though with three more progress shots of my Antioch project. I think I have enough buildings for now to do a decent table (12 buildings and two paved plazas) and so I'll probably slow up on the building and start thinking about painting. The buildings are all just roughly arranged on top of a filing cabinet in the pictures, they will be on a two-foot square board for playing.