'City of the dead' in the Syrian desert

A city more than 10,000 years old, more than the Egyptian pyramid, was found in the Syrian desert, about 90km north of Damascus.

"City of the dead" looked from above

The remains of stone tools, arches and walkways are still clearly visible in the mysterious city near the ancient Deir Mar Musa monastery, according to archaeologist Robert Mason of the Royal Museum. Ontario (Canada).

Deir Mar Musa monastery itself, also known as St. Moses Monastery of Abyssinia, was built in the late 4th or early 5th century.

Mason experts associate the ruins as Syria's Stonehenge.

"It is like a scene for the dead, not for the living," Harvard Gazette quoted Mason as saying.

What's more interesting is that the ancient city is older than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, dating back to 4,500 years ago.

Mason experts also found coral-like rocks arranged in the form of kite wings, known as "desert kites" , most likely to be used to trap antelopes or other animals.

He hopes to return to the site soon to continue the uncompleted excavation work because of the political crisis in Syria.