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.
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