Burqush
برقش | |
Basilica platform in Burqush, from the south | |
| Alternative name | Burkush, Barkousa, Justinianopolis, Barkousa-Justinianopolis |
|---|---|
| Location | 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Damascus |
| Region | Rif Dimashq Governorate |
| Coordinates | 33°28′00″N 35°59′00″E / 33.466667°N 35.983333°E |
| History | |
| Cultures | Byzantine, Roman |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1999 |
| Archaeologists | Gunnar Brands |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Public access | Yes |
Burqush or Burkush (Arabic: برقش) is an archaeological site situated 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Damascus, Syria.
The nearby Wadi al-Qarn is an important breeding site for wild birds in the Middle East and has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area.
The site sits at an altitude of 1,580 metres (5,180 ft) and overlooks the Damascus plain and surrounding hill country where herds of goats and camels wander the area. Due to the sensitive nature of the territory close to the borders with Lebanon and the Golan, visitors may need a military escort to access the site, which is a ten-minute walk along a steep track away from the main road.
Julien Aliquot suggested that the site may have been called Barkousa in ancient times. This was contrary to the location of Barkusha that had previously been suggested by Albrecht Alt in 1947. In the 6th century, it was renamed Justinianopolis (Greek: Ἰουστινιανούπολις, "city of Justinian") after the Byzantine emperor Justinian I.