About Baalbeck Archaeological Site, Baalbek, Lebanon:
As the Helipolis also known the Baalbek and as the Baalbeck spelled sometimes, in the northeastern Lebanon an ancient Roman city. From the Beirut on a day trip most visitors see the Baalbek, the mountain drive away which is scenic.
The history of the Baalbek Archaeological Site:
Known as the Beqa’a in a wide and fertile valley of the Lebanon’s mountain range on the eastern slopes is situated the Baalbek. In this valley caravan stations developed in ancient times, with a year round water supply especially at that places, and agricultural centers they became. One such site was the Baalbek. At the highest level of the Beqa’a valley the especially favorable spot it occupied, of two important rivers at the source and along with the transportation road which was the main in the inland.
Although that the Baalbek achieved its fame widely it was in Roman times, but long before the Romans arrives the site was of religious and political importance. From the Canaanite god Baal the name “Baalbek” derives, the name Baal means “Lord”. About the early history of the Baalbek are known few specifics, in the Bronze Age it was inhabited except that and on the site was established connected with the cult of Baal a Canaanite city. Certainly almost a great center of religion was the Baalbek.
The sun god, by a bull who was represented, the El, for the Canaanites was the supreme god. The goddess of sea the Ashera was the wife of El. Directly could not approached this divine couple, but of their son Baal through the mediation only. Ball was the Lord of storms, thunder and rain. In a spear ending the thunderbolt, the bull and the ears of corn were the symbols of him. A son had the Baal, the Aliyan, of spring and floral growth who was the god, and had a daughter, the Anat, who was the faithful consort of Aliyan. Against these positive forces was set the Mot (the Death), who was the god of drought and summer, to ripen he helped the fruits but the vegetation killed also, if by the Aliyan’s springs not supported. Astarte was another important deity, for the love and fertility who was the goddess.
The circle of nature reflected the Canaanite mythology. With plentiful rains and thunder in winter and spring ruled the earth the Baal and Aliyan. When arrives the dryness of the summer, the superiority attains the Mot and kills the Aliyan (the Spring) and his father the Baal (the Rain). From the underworld retrieves the body of Aliyan his sister and lover Anat and then buries him, then for Mot she searches and the harvest representing kills him. The summer heat recedes with the destruction of the Mot, and with the live giving rains and springs Baal and Aliyan reappear in late autumn.
As Bel by the Assyrians was adopted the Ball, and with the Egyptian Seth the Aramaean Haddad and Phoenician Reshef he can be equated. The Zeus, Hermes and Aphrodite in the Greek and the Jupiter, Mercury and Venus in the Roman had its parallels the triad of the Baal, Aliyan and Anat.
Will Continue…….
10:01 PM
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