Dalle straordinarie avventure di Lady Hesther Stanhope alla"crociata" archeologica di Butler: la politica "religiosa" dei viaggi e delle esplorazioni scientifiche nella regione di Damasco tra XIX e XX secolo

The first historical and archaeological interest of the European and North-American travellers froDamascus region and all Souther Syria has, not only, scientific purposes. Their travels or explorations have, above all, religious reasons owing to the geographical position of this region, between the Lebanese coast and the Northern border of the Palestine. All these facts influenced the methods of research and the archaeological activity in this area. Some interesting data concern also the discovery of bronze Age sites: before the field trips of Albright some ancient tell have been visited adn described from travellers and diplomats.