fbpx
Top

*Was fortunate enough to travel to Syria and see the country in 2008, three years before the war broke out. This homage to Syria is the reminder, the story about the country with immense cultural heritage, posted here with the wholehearted wish for peace to be restored and cities to be rebuilt.

 

Driving through the desert before the war we could not even assume what was yet to come at the end of our Syrian journey. Although I have heard of the city „somewhere in the desert“ where the nicely preserved Roman town lies and although I have seen few photos previously, reading about the place I was going to visit, nothing could have prepared me for the astonishing sight that emerged before me when the road curved behind one of the dunes!

homage-to-syria-palmyra-glimpses-of-the-world

View of the old town surrounded by palm trees

The town of Palmyra leaves you with you jaw down when you finally get a hold of those columns coming out of the sand and the ancient town that extends over the desert valley that goes towards one lush oasis!

homage-to-syria-palmyra-temple-of-baal-glimpses-of-the-world

Remains in the former Temple of Baal

I didn’t even come close enough nor I could yet say that my feet stepped onto this two millennia soil, but I was already amazed by the sight before my eyes! Just as someone, for that occasion only, has uncovered half of the city, just then, few hours before I came. That is how unbelievable the sight was!

The ravishing queen

Mentioned for the first time in the archives of Mari in the second millennium BC, the city of Palmyra was founded, they say, by the king Solomon. The name is the Greek translation of the Aramaic original Tadmor, which means „the palm tree“. Quite expected when having in mind that in the middle of the vast region of sand there was one small town’s oasis.

homage-to-syria-palmyra-temple-of-baal-glimpses-of-the-world

Once the most important monument in Palmyra

For a long time Palmyra was a lively stop on the caravan route for travelers and merchants crossing the desert so much so that it earned the nickname of the „bride of the desert“. The city markets traded spices, precious stones and metals, luxurious fabrics with the final destinations such as Egypt, Spain or Gaul.

homage-to-syria-palmyra-temple-of-baal-glimpses-of-the-world

Walls of the Temple endured through centuries

Palmyra reached its maximum splendor during the rule of a woman who, according to her importance and political influence, can be compared to Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt. The famous queen of Palmyra was Zenobia. She was defeated by Roman Emperor Aurelian who razed the city in 272 AD and built another, the Roman town instead. Later on, Palmyra was taken by the Arabs.

Lord of the Earth

The first thing I have noticed when coming closer to the ruins of the city was the sight of the Great Colonnade and then on the right, there were huge walls of one of the temples.

homage-to-syria-palmyra-temple-of-baal-glimpses-of-the-world

The vast courtyard of the ancient building

Judging by its size, it was not hard to guess that this was a relic dedicated to the supreme god, and that was the Aramaic god called Baal. This was the most important building in Palmyra. (At least it was, until it got destroyed during the recent civil war!)

homage-to-syria-palmyra-glimpses-of-the-world

Huge columns in front of the Temple

The name of Baal in the Phoenician language meant simply „master“ or „lord“. He was the most vigorous of all gods and was also known as the „Cloud Rider“, „All-Powerful“ and „Lord of the Earth“. In Greek mythology this god was associated with Cronus, in Roman with Saturn.

Building the temple lasted for many centuries, additional premises and objects would have been added from time to time, and the ruins that could be seen in 2008 actually dated from the Hellenistic age. Construction of the temple was completed only in the mid-2nd century AD and its destruction began little more than a hundred years later in 273, at the hand of Aurelian during the second conquest of the city.

homage-to-syria-palmyra-temple-of-baal-glimpses-of-the-world

Ritual object in the courtyard

Great celebration of Baal

The courtyard of the temple was closed in by a wall, originally 11 meters in height, on the inside of which there opened porticoes with double rows of Corinthian columns. Corbels at about half of the height of the columns originally supported statues of citizens who had donated funds to the construction of the Temple.

homage-to-syria-palmyra-glimpses-of-the-world

One of the camels resting on the sight

The shrine was also enclosed and accessible only to the priests. Every year, on the day corresponding to April 7th of the modern calendar, priests celebrated the ceremony in honor of god Baal. For seven days, worshipers from the entire surrounding territory  flocked to the Temple bearing animals to be sacrificed to the supreme god. Animals were herded into the Temple through a passageway under the western side and around the shrine and the Temple, for seven times. On the last day, after the seventh turn, animals were led to the altar.

homage-to-syria-palmyra-temple-of-baal-glimpses-of-the-world

Great Colonnade leading to the other end

As the decoration in the north chamber of the shrine showed, the temple was dedicated not to Baal alone, but also to Yarhibol, god of the Sun, and Aglibol, goddess of the Moon. The ceiling was decorated with a relief of the seven planetary divinities and signs of the zodiac.

This was one great monument to ancient times that, unfortunately, doesn’t exist any more…

Next: ANCIENT PALMYRA (8)

The full Homage to Syria SERIES

homage-to-syria-palmyra-temple-of-baal-glimpses-of-the-world

0

Comments:

  • 02/05/2017

    This is fascinating. It is a blooming pity that such wonderful places of heritage have been destroyed.

    reply...
  • 02/05/2017

    Wow, it’s really quite sad reading this and thinking about what is being lost to war. It’s so sad what is happening there. Thanks for sharing this and putting it out there again, I found it fascinating. Maybe one day the country can heal and open up again, but I think that is a long way off.

    reply...
  • 02/05/2017

    This place looks beautiful and definitely somewhere I would like to have seen in person. It’s astonishing to think this is no longer there! Thanks for sharing, more people need to know what cultural gems this country once held.

    reply...
  • 02/05/2017

    I’m really enjoying this series of articles on Syria. As I’ve said previously, what has happened to the country is a tragedy. The ruins of ancient civilisations have been squandered.

    reply...
  • 02/05/2017

    Wow.This is really a good post and article. I have no chance of traveling to Syria due to the current situation in that country.Is Syria similar to Iran?By the looks of your picture, it really looks the same.

    reply...
  • 03/05/2017

    You are very fortunate be there, I have this desire to visit Middle East as a tourist but because of what’s happening not too sure when this dream can happen. I got a chance to visit UAE, hopefully another country in that region because that area offers a different kind of culture that still be enriching to everyone.

    reply...
  • 04/05/2017

    There is so much of history in these areas . I really wish that normalcy is restore soon before some one does something stupid and destroys the heritage buildings.

    reply...
  • 04/05/2017

    This is so unexplored and lovely. I love the whole heritage but here… Especially the temple. In some ways these sites remind me of the ruins of Hampi. Have u seen those?

    reply...
  • 10/10/2019

    magnificent put up, very informative. I ponder why the other experts of this sector don’t realize this. You must continue your writing. I am sure, you have a huge readers’ base already!

    reply...
  • 18/01/2020

    This is post May I ask you to contact us so that we can talk? Can I write to you directly. It’s so good that i’m going follow you!

    reply...

post a comment


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

If you need a freelance travel writer or you would like to see your country, city, flight, etc., presented on the blog, drop me an email. 

Find our more on Freelance Travel Writer page.

I am looking forward to working with you.

Danijela ćirović

Slide

GET TRAVEL EBOOKS

Great stories in one place - eBooks, digital brochures, and postcards.

Share