Temple_of_the_Obelisks

Temple of the Obelisks

Temple of the Obelisks

Temple in Byblos

The Temple of the Obelisks (French: Temple aux Obelisques, Arabic: معبد الأنصاب maebad al'ansab), also known as the L-shaped Temple and Temple of Resheph[1] was an important Bronze Age temple structure in the World Heritage Site of Byblos.[2] It is considered "perhaps the most spectacular" of the ancient structures of Byblos.[3] It is the best preserved building in the Byblos archaeological site.[4]

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Almost all of the artefacts found in the excavation of the temple are displayed at the National Museum of Beirut.[3] It was excavated by French archaeologist Maurice Dunand from 1924-73. The original temple is now in two parts: the base is known as "the L-shaped temple", and the top is known as the "Temple of the Obelisks"; the latter was moved 40 meters east during Maurice Dunand's excavations.[2]

Dunand uncovered 1306 Byblos figurines – ex-voto offerings, including faience figurines, weapons, and dozens of bronze-with-gold-leaf figurines – which have become the "poster child" of the Lebanese Tourism Ministry.[5]

Description

Base: L Shaped Temple

The L Shaped Temple

The L-shaped Temple was constructed around 2600 BCE,[6] two centuries after the construction of the Temple of Baalat Gebal (approximately 100m to the west) had been built.[6] It was named the "L-shaped" temple by Dunand, as its two rooms and the courtyard were arranged in such a shape.[6]

The temple had well built walls and temples, in contrast to the later Obelisk temple.[2] It is thought that the L-shaped temple was burned down at the end of the Early Bronze Age.[7]

Top: Obelisk Temple

The Obelisk Temple

The Temple of the Obelisks was constructed around 1600 BCE [citation needed] on top of the L-shaped temple, retaining its general outline.[2] The temple's name, given by Dunand, refers to a number of obelisks and standing stones located in a court around the cella.[7] The Abishemu obelisk has been interpreted to include a dedication to Resheph, a Canaanite war god, although this is disputed.[7] Another obelisk has a hieroglyphic inscription Middle Bronze Age king of Byblos Ibishemu, praising the Egyptian god Heryshaf.[7]

Since it had been built on top of the L-shaped temple, it was necessary for Dunand to dismantle and move this upper temple in order to excavate the L-shaped temple beneath.[2]

In contrast to the L-shaped temple beneath, the Obelisk Temple was built with irregular walls.[2]

Modern identification and excavation

The temple was first identified by Dunand.[8][7] The majority of the obelisks found were underground in their original positions, standing upright, while a few others were discovered buried in a favissa (a well for votive deposits).[7]

  • 1959 view of the temple base and top
  • Montet's 1924 diagram of the Byblos archaeological site
  • Montet's 1924 diagram of the Byblos temples
  • The Byblos figurines
  • The Abishemu obelisk

References

  1. [1]
    Kilani 2019, p. 57a...based on a disputed translation of the Abishemu obelisk
  2. [2]
    Boda 1994, p. 146.
  3. [3]
    Michaelides 2001, p. 21.
  4. [4]
    Kilani 2019, p. 57.
  5. [5]
    Steiner, Margreet L.; Killebrew, Ann E. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of the Levant: C. 8000-332 BCE. OUP Oxford. pp. 465–. ISBN 978-0-19-921297-2.
  6. [6]
    Bryce 2009, p. 138.
  7. [7]
    Kilani 2019, p. 57-58.
  8. [8]
    Dunand 1937.

Sources

Archaeological reports

Further reading
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