Syriac and Karshuni Inscriptions on Wall Paintings in the Qadisha Valley, Lebanon

This article presents and discusses Syriac and Karshuni inscriptions on wall paintings in different monasteries, churches, hermitages, and caves in the Qadisha Valley in northern Lebanon. The Syriac language and script was used alongside the Karshuni (an Arabic language that uses the Syriac alphabet) and was spoken by many Christian communities at various times in this valley. Beyond the epigraphic analysis of these inscriptions, the aim of this article is to demonstrate that the different Christian communities living in the Qadisha Valley used the same places of worship throughout their long history.