The North-West Tower

The North-West Tower is one of the thirty defence towers and bastions of the 3.4 km Hellenistic defence system. Horseshoe-shaped, massive (14.5 x 18 m), with walls up to 3.5 m thick, and occupying the highest point in the perimeter wall, it was designed to protect a nearby postern gate, to provide advance warning of any attack from the west or north, and to provide covering fire over a wide range of walling. It was not bonded to the adjoining wall curtain so that if the wall were breached the tower might still operate as a redoubt.

Associated finds suggest a construction date of about 280 BCE.

Following the 1986 survey of the defence system, Peter Connor opened two trenches in 1986 and 1987.

Major report:

• †Peter Connor and Graeme Clarke, 'The North-West Tower', in Jebel Khalid on the Euphrates, Volume One: Report on Excavations 1986–1996. Mediterranean Archaeology Supplement 5 (Sydney, 2002) 1-15.

Other publications
Plan 1987
Restored plan
Restored
Stretcher and header (emplekton) construction (B. Allardice)
Field books

The Australian Mission to Jebel Khalid is a joint project of the Australian National University and the University of Melbourne.