News Center — Tell Ain Dara is one of the most prominent archaeological sites in the Afrin region, located approximately seven kilometers south of the city on the eastern bank of the Afrin River.

Tell Ain Dara is renowned for its ancient temple, which is believed to date back to the Hittite period, within the Kurd Mountains range near the village of Ain Dara. The Afrin River runs along the western side of the tell, which is located between three and six kilometers from the center of Afrin city, according to estimates from available archaeological surveys.

The Tell Ain Dara site features prominent remains dating back to multiple historical periods, in both its upper and lower sections. The tell, composed of two parts, has undergone archaeological excavations that have so far focused on the upper layers, uncovering artifacts from the Hurrian, Hittite, Byzantine, Persian, and Islamic periods. Archaeological evidence suggests that settlement at Ain Dara is much older than what has been uncovered so far, as its roots are believed to date back to the Bronze Age linked to the Tell Khalif civilization. Evidence also indicates that the ancient city was located in the lower part of the tell.

The construction history of the temple at Tell Ain Dara extends between the 13th and 8th centuries BCE, during the Hittite and Mitanni periods. The temple, built on Tell Sterk around 1300 BCE, is believed to belong to Hittite architecture, decorated with carved basalt stones and statues of a ritualistic nature. The tell is surrounded by passages and defensive walls connecting the surrounding residential settlements. Despite the absence of conclusive information about the deity to whom the temple was dedicated, archaeological finds indicate that it was associated with the worship of the goddess Ishtar, the symbol of fertility, love, and war.

Occupation and Looting of Historical Sites

The historical temple at Tell Ain Dara was bombed during the attacks launched by Turkey and its affiliated armed factions on Afrin in January 2018, resulting in damage to part of the temple and the loss of a portion of its archaeological heritage. Following their control of the area, the armed factions and Turkish forces proceeded to loot a number of historical artifacts or deliberately destroy them. The widespread destruction that befell the temple has raised serious concerns about the future of the cultural heritage spanning thousands of years at Tell Ain Dara.