Secrets of ancient fort unearthed in Syria

afridi220

Published July 13, 2007, 1437

Masyaf, Syria Excavations at the foot of Syria's coastal mountains have revealed an ancient citadel that holds the mysteries of the medieval Assassins sect, once based here.

Tonnes of debris have been cleared from the site since 2000, allowing researchers to learn more about the citadel's secretive occupants.

The discoveries included a tunnel thought to be a secret escape passage and a system of channels designed to carry rain water into cisterns beneath the castle.

Haytahm Ali Hasan, an archaeologist working on the project, said that in the 12th century, Muslim leader Saladin thought twice before attacking the Assassins at the Masyaf castle.

"Anyone who tried to take the Assassins' castle would be dead the next day," Hasan said.

It would appear that the Assassins' reputation preceeded them, however, because although they were master fighters, they were not very good at building castles. "The system of defence is very poor," Hasan said of the Masyaf castle.

The Assassins had tried to copy the castles of the Crusaders and Saladin, "but not very well", he said, suggesting the fort's weaknesses might be evidence of the group's poverty.

But what the Assassins lacked in might, they made up for in stealth. Saladin himself narrowly escaped one assassination attempt by their knife-wielding agents.

The Assassins were led by Rashid Al Din Sinan, also known as "The Old Man of the Mountain". He used Masyaf as a base for spreading the beliefs of the Nizari Ismaili sect of Islam.