The
water sources of Ras al Ayn, also known as Solomon's Wells,
lie 5 kilometers south of Tyre. They are mentioned in the
annals of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V who ordered his
troops to guard them while he was laying siege against Tyre in
725 B.C. They provide Tyre and its area with drinking water
and are also used to irrigate the orchards of this region.
There aree four reservoirs in Ras al Ayn.
To the south of the site are the two smaller ones, called
"the poplar cisterns" because of the surrounding
poplar trees. The largest reservoir lies in the southwest and
has an octagonal shape. Some call it the Astarte cistern. From
there one can clearly see Tell Rashidiyye, the site of
Palaetyros. The fourth one lies in the west near the shore and
is known as the Lady's Cistern. In Ras al Ayn, the visitor
enjoys beautiful scenery with abundant water, greens fields
and sandy beaches. |