Sin el Fil explained

Sinn al-Fīl
Native Name:سن الفيل
Native Name Lang:ara
Settlement Type:City
Pushpin Map:Lebanon
Pushpin Map Alt:Map showing the location of Sin el Fil within Lebanon
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Lebanon
Coordinates:33.8667°N 67°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:
Subdivision Type1:Governorate
Subdivision Name1:Mount Lebanon Governorate
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Matn District
Leader Title:Time Zone
Leader Name:GMT +2 (UTC)
Leader Title1:– Summer (DST)
Leader Name1:+3 (UTC)
Leader Title2:Area Code(s)
Leader Name2:(+961) 1
Leader Title3:Zip Code
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:EET
Utc Offset1:+2
Timezone1 Dst:EEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+3
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Area Code Type:Dialing code
Area Code:+961

Sin el-Fil (Arabic: سنّ الفيل / ALA-LC: Sinn al-Fīl) is a suburb east of Beirut in the Matn District of the Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon.

Etymology

The name literally means 'ivory': "tooth" (sinn) of "the elephant" (al-fīl). Being geographically closer to the ancient city of Antioch and far remote from natural elephant habitat, it is believed that the town name may have been a derogation of Saint Theophilus of Antioch.

Geography

With a rich red soil and moderate precipitation (but available ground water irrigation) the agricultural land of Sin el Fil in the early 20th century sprawled into a densely populated suburb. The natural landscape of the late century was dominated by stone pine. The Beirut River runs west of Sin el Fil and separates the town from the capital, Beirut.

History

Collections of archaeological material from this limestone "hogsback" were made from the gullies to the south of the main road on the slopes of forested hills. The recovery areas were described as "ravines sinueuses" by Raoul Describes after making a collection in 1921.[1] Other Jesuits who made collections from the area included Godefroy Zumoffen in 1908, Paul Bovier-Lapierre and Auguste Bergy as well as Mouterde, Gigues, Lorraine Copeland and Peter Wescombe. E. Passemard suggested that two of the trihedral pieces collected by Paul Bovier-Lapierre were Chalossian.[2] [3] Describes published some of the material as Acheulean but the bulk of the material was very mixed including many indeterminate Neolithic pieces including Trihedral Neolithic and Heavy Neolithic forms. There was also a Roman occupation on the flat fields above the slopes. Some archaeological material from Sin el Fil is in the National Museum of Beirut and the Museum of Lebanese Prehistory.[4]

On 1 March 1990 Sin el Fin was the scene of heavy fighting between Samir Geagea’s Lebanese Forces (LF) and parts of the Lebanese Army loyal to General Michel Aoun. It was the last offensive in Aoun’s failed attempt to take control of Christian East Beirut and caused extensive damage and many casualties.[5]

Twin towns – sister cities

External links

Notes and References

  1. Describes, Raoul., Quelques ateliers paléolithiques des environs de Beyrouth, Mélanges de l'Université Saint-Joseph: Volume VII, 1921.
  2. Passemard, E., "Syria", Volume 8, 1927
  3. http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/bspf_0249-7638_1931_num_28_6_5576 E. Passemard, P. Dubalen, A. Vayson de Pradenne, R. Neuville, La Question Chalossienne, Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, 1931, Volume 28, Issue 6, pp. 289–293
  4. Book: Lorraine Copeland. P. Wescombe. Inventory of Stone-Age sites in Lebanon, p. 136-137. 21 July 2011. 1965. Imprimerie Catholique.
  5. Middle East International No 371, 16th March 1990, Publishers Lord Mayhew, Dennis Walters MP; Jim Muir pp.9,10
  6. Web site: Sin el fil Official Web Site. City of Sin el fil . 29 March 2012.