Of all the art, architecture, and archaeology in the Near East, there is one structure that always strikes me as symbolic of the layers of history in the region: the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Constructed in the early Umayyad period, it is situated over the former site of the Jewish Temple in the Haram al-Sharif. It was built to commemorate Muhammad's Night Journey and its central feature is the stone from which he is believed to have ascended to heaven. It is, of course, an important Islamic monument, and much has been written about the construction, rebuildings, and purpose of the structure. Nevertheless, what always strikes me as significant about it is the evidence it contains for cultural borrowing in the seventh century. The inscriptions are in Arabic but are aimed at non-Muslims; the rotunda shape has its roots in Late Roman architecture. Textual evidence tells us that the East Roman emperor sent materials and craftsmen to help decorate the structure, which is filled with beautiful non-figural mosaics, and these images, many of them jewelled vegetal motifs, represent both East Roman and Sasanian artistic traditions. In so many ways the Dome of the Rock is symbolic of the rich mixed heritage of the region.

This interconnected history in the Levant is pivotal in any consideration of East Roman archaeology, but in some ways it is also the most problematic. Much of the archaeology in this region which includes modern Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria has traditionally been seen as either East Roman (Byzantine is almost always the term used in the region, reflecting imperial control until the arrival of the Muslims) or Islamic.