Masyaf Castle

Perched 20 meters above the plain on the left bank of the Orontes River in the southern Ghab region, Tel Asharneh holds the remains of the ancient city-state of Tunip. This significant city is notably mentioned in the Amarna letters (14th century BCE).
Excavations conducted by a Canadian expedition from Laval University (2004-2011) revealed a sprawling settlement covering 77 hectares. Among their key discoveries was a royal palace constructed of mudbrick, coated with white plaster, and featuring cedar wood flooring. This cedar flooring represents the earliest evidence of this timber’s use in the Near East. Further archaeological findings included cuneiform tablets, which indicate Tunip’s shifting alliances—at times with the Mitanni and at others with the Hittites. This dynamic political alignment underscores the city’s strategic location at the heart of imperial conflicts during that era.