The provided text, titled "The Mountain of the Stylite: A Comprehensive History of Mount Lelun (Jabal Sim'an) Before 2010," offers a detailed historical overview of a prominent highland region in northern Syria. It explores the mountain's diverse nomenclature, including its Kurdish name "Lelun," Arabic "Jabal Sim'an," and Greco-Roman "Mount Simeon," highlighting the cultural and linguistic layers that define it. The document traces its geological formation, revealing how seismic activity shaped its landscape and even influenced ancient architecture like the Church of Saint Simeon. Furthermore, it recounts the mountain's significance from the discovery of ancient fossils like *Syriemys lelunensis*, through its role as a center for Bronze and Iron Age civilizations with sites like the Ain Dara Temple, to its Byzantine apex as a pilgrimage destination for Saint Simeon Stylites. Finally, the text examines its transformation into the Kurdish heartland of Kurd-Dagh during the Islamic and Ottoman eras, emphasizing the enduring olive-based economy and the impact of modern geopolitical shifts and Arabization policies on its identity before 2010.
This page was created on: August 12, 2025