Category Archives: Blog

I spent this afternoon whirling with Sufis in Beirut. As I began to whirl with my arms crossed over my heart, I found myself thinking about the pain and joy of my young Syrian refugee friends–and wishing I could do more to help them…

When the ecstatic are worshipping Wine
Listening to the music, they become drunk
They begin to whirl just like the water wheel
And weep down on themselves like the water wheel
In Submission they sink into themselves
And when they can no longer bear it
They tear their garment into shreds.
Do not ill-speak of the drunken dervish
He is drowning, hence he jumps and kicks…

— Sa’di

My students and I were very excited when we reached this stela of Ramses the Great–which was carved during his famed military campaign to Syria. Since we had studied his battle against the Hittites in class, it was rewarding to test our knowledge on the road. We could even decipher the remaining hieroglyphs which haven’t yet been eroded…

My students and I came across traces of the Assyrians—like this figure of King Esarhaddon–on our way to find evidence of Ramses the Great at Nahr el-Kalb…

After we hiked up the hill at Nahr el-Kalb, my students and I took a break to catch our breath and enjoy the view–before hiking on to study inscriptions left behind by Ramses the Great…

After my students and I surveyed engraved traces of various alliances between regional and foreign powers in modern Lebanese history, we trekked up the mountain to view ancient inscriptions…

In order to secure their power and rest at heart’s ease they have
armed the Druzi to fight the Arab;

Have incited the Shi‘i against the Sunni;
Have incited the Kurd to slaughter the Bedouin; Have encouraged the Mohammadan to fight the Christian.

How long is a brother to fight his brother on the
breast of the mother?
How long is a neighbor to threaten his neighbor
near the tomb of the beloved?

How long are the Cross and the Crescent to
remain apart before the eyes of God?

— Khalil Gibran

As my students and I walked through this overgrown graveyard of the region’s colonial history, I kept thinking of these words by Khalil Gibran: “For God’s sake, run for your lives. Civilization is after us.”

“I have orders from General Gouraud to proceed to Damascus,” I answered simply. “I am carrying out a plainly limited military assignment. As for political matters, take them up with someone in the rear.”

— General Goybet

This week-end, my students and I journeyed to Nahr el-Kalb to study the site’s ancient inscriptions–but we were just as captivated by the military markers of the 20th century carved into the side of the mountain. For instance, this large stela commemorates the entry of French troops into Damascus, following General Goybet’s victory at Maysalun in July 1920 (معركة ميسلون). The text lists the various army units (including those from North Africa) which took part in the campaign against Damascus–a colonial venture intended “to civilize Syria and the Syrians.”

The General is deeply happy to address his congratulations to General Goybet and his valiant troops: 415th of line, 2nd Algerian sharpshooters, 11th and 10th Senegalese sharpshooters, light-infantry-men of Africa, Moroccan trooper regiment, batteries of African groups, batteries of 155, 314, company of tanks, bombardment groups and squadrons who in the hard fight of 24 of July, have broken the resistance of the enemy who defied us for 8 months. They have engraved a glorious page in the history of our country…

— General Gouraud

In our survey of Lebanon’s military and colonial history at Nahr el-Kalb, my students and I came across this 20th century inscription…

When my students and I were surveying the ancient and modern inscriptions at Nahr el-Kalb, we came across this small shrine on the path…

Say not, “I have found the path of the soul.”
Say rather, “I have found the soul walking upon my path.”
For the soul walks upon all paths…

— Khalil Gibran

The first writing my students and I encountered at Nahr el-Kalb was a 14th century Arabic inscription commemorating the building of a bridge by Sultan Barquq–whose funerary complex in Cairo is one of my favorite “Sufi” spaces in the Middle East…

After my students and I crossed the river on this arched stone bridge, we journeyed onwards to decipher the ancient messages that foreign armies left behind when crossing this historic mountain pass…

This week-end at Nahr el Kelb, my students and I surveyed the stone bridge crossing the river, before studying the ancient inscriptions carved on the mountain…