The al-A'la plateau, or Jabal al-A'la (lit. 'the High [land]')[1] is a plateau in central Syria, which rises east of the city of Hama, on the western fringes of the Syrian steppe. The plateau contains numerous villages with Byzantine-era inscriptions, found in the remains of mostly 6th-century homes, towers and churches. In the late 18th century, the region became a haven and area of settlement for the Mawali and other Bedouin tribes. Alawites began to settle in the area as well in the early 20th century.