Al-Safirah
Name
Medieval geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi spells the name Asfīrah (أسفيرة), not as-Safira (السفيرة), which indicates that the definite article in the modern spelling is a result of hypercorrection.
As-Safira was known in pre-Islamic times as Sipri. Historians have suggested that the name Sipri may have come from the Akkadian word siparru meaning "bronze", which might indicate that copper was mined and bronze was worked there.
History
Since ancient times the city has been the distribution point for salt gathered from the nearby Sabkhat al-Jabbul.
Archeological findings
The Sfire I Treaty which may contain 8th century BCE evidence of a deity called "Most High."
Geography
Climate
As-Safira has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk).
| Climate data for As Safira | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.8 (51.4) |
13.3 (55.9) |
17.7 (63.9) |
23.1 (73.6) |
29.6 (85.3) |
34.7 (94.5) |
37.0 (98.6) |
37.4 (99.3) |
33.7 (92.7) |
28.2 (82.8) |
20.0 (68.0) |
12.9 (55.2) |
24.9 (76.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.8 (35.2) |
2.6 (36.7) |
5.2 (41.4) |
8.9 (48.0) |
13.6 (56.5) |
17.9 (64.2) |
20.5 (68.9) |
20.7 (69.3) |
16.9 (62.4) |
12.1 (53.8) |
6.6 (43.9) |
3.5 (38.3) |
10.9 (51.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 59 (2.3) |
48 (1.9) |
32 (1.3) |
36 (1.4) |
17 (0.7) |
2 (0.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1 (0.0) |
16 (0.6) |
19 (0.7) |
59 (2.3) |
289 (11.3) |
| Average snowy days | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| Source: Climate-data.org. | |||||||||||||
Notes
- ^ Ball, Warwick (2006) "The desert edges" Syria: A Historical And Architectural Guide Interlink Publishing Group, Northampton, Massachusetts, page 157, ISBN 1-56656-665-7
- ^ le Strange, 1890, p. 400
- ^ Notably Dossin and Lewy, see Sasson, Jack M. (1966) "A Sketch of North Syrian Economic Relations in the Middle Bronze Age" Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient 9(3): pp. 161–181, page 169, note 2
Bibliography
- le Strange, Guy (1890). Palestine Under the Moslems: A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A.D. 650 to 1500. Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
36°04′40″N 37°22′24″E / 36.07778°N 37.37333°E
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