The bulk of the population is Mohammedan. Besides ortho dox Muslim there are also Shiite sects, as well as followers of old religions modified by Islam such as the Ismailites (Assassins), q.v., Metawali, Nosairis, Ansarieh, and especially the Druses (q.v.). The Jews are found mainly in the larger centres of popu lation. The Christians are an important element and have had churches in Syria since the earliest times. There are three uniate patriarchs and one orthodox patriarch of Antioch. Arabic is the prevailing language though it has many local dialects. Survivals of Aramaic are in the remote villages of Anti-Lebanon. From the upper Sajur northwards Turkish prevails, but many Kurdish communities retain their own tongue.
of wheat were raised in 1925. Sesame, from which oil is produced, is a valuable but uncertain crop. About 4,700 ac. in Latakia, Aleppo, Beirut and Damascus produce about three million pounds of tobacco. A marked feature of recent developments in Syria (1920-28) is the extended cultivation of cotton. In 1922 5,000 tons were produced ; two years later this had reached 30,00o tons. Sugar cane and hemp are also important. The white mulberry is grown in the north to feed silk-worms. Oranges, lemons and bananas are important among the exports. (E. G. Bow.) Rude stone monuments (circles and dolmens) and other pre historic remains are an indication that Syria must have been inhabited from an extremely early period. Within historic times a great number of different nationalities have fought and settled within its borders, the majority belonging to the Semitic stock. This last circumstance has rendered possible a considerable de gree of fidelity in the tradition of the oldest local names. After the Aramaeans had absorbed what remained of the earlier popula tion, they themselves were very powerfully influenced by Gracco Roman civilization, but as a people they still retained their Aramaean speech. Of the political relations of Syria in the most ancient times we know but little. Each town with its surrounding district seems to have constituted a small separate State; the conduct of affairs devolved upon noble families. In the latter part of the 16th century B.C. all north Syria fell under the Cappa docian Hatti domination. The south part of Syria was known to Sargon of Akkad (Agade) as Ammon and was visited by his armies. This is known as the Canaanite period, succeeded about 000 B.c. by the Aramaean. As early probably as the 16th cen tury B.C. Syria became the meeting-place of Egyptian and Babylon ian elements ; a type of western Asiatic culture resulted which through the commerce of the Phoenicians was carried to the west ern lands of the Mediterranean basin. Industry especially attained a high state of development ; rich garments were embroidered, and glass, pastes, faience, etc. were manufactured. The influence ex ercised on Syrian art by the powerful neighbouring states is con firmed by recent finds which show the action of the Aegean cul ture on Phoenicia and Palestine. The Syrians were more original in what related to religion ; every place, every tribe, had its "lord" (Ba'al) and its "lady" (Ba'alat) ; the latter is generally called 'Ashtar or 'Ashtaret (i.e., Ishtar, Astarte). Besides the local Ba'al there were "the god of heaven" (El) and other deities; human sacrifices not uncommon.