Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1913-05-16

aor the Berlin museums now possess many Of the
finest examples of the carvings found there
NJ Baalbek is the name Of ruined city of ancient
Coela-Syria, sgnifying the "city Of Baal" the sun
god. The name was converted by the Greeks.
during the Seleucidan dynasty, into it's Greek
equivalent. Heliopos. 1t is situated in latitude
81 degrees. / minute north, longitude 36 degrees
IL minutes east in the plain OF Buka's at the
northern extremity Of low range Of bleak hills.
about one mile from the base of Antilibanon IN
. well watered and delightful locality, little
more than 40 miles northwest of Damascus. It
was once the most magnificent of Syrian cities.
full of palaces. fountains and beautiful monu-
ments.
4 These ruins are known as the Acropolis and are
unique for their massiveness and for the great
amount of both bold and delicate carving with
which they are adorned. There is, indeed so
much carving and such variety to make ones
drst visit bewildering. The temples being built
on fiat plain, 1t was important to raise them
above the surrounding level to render them more
Imposing. and to that end there are vast sub
structures and vaults and passages supporting
thu shrines. The most imposing was that Of the
great Temple Of the Sun, which was rectangu-
lar building 200 feet by 100, having its roof sup
ported by peristyle of "a Corinthian columns.
10 at each side and 10 at each end. OF these
six are still standing. The circumference Of
these columns is about % feet, and the length
\ Of the shaft about So feet with pedestal, capital
Nand entablature they measure about 80 feet in
height. The great Temple Of the Sun occupied
platform on the Acropolis about 1000 feet by $50
feet The main entrance of the temple was on
the east. Here wide fight Of steps led up to
q portico 10 feet above the gardens and orchards
that now surround the ruins An inscription on
the great portico states that the temple was
erected to the Great Gods" Of Heliopolis by
Antoninus
Beyond the portico is a hexogonal court
through which large gateway opens into the
great square, at the west end Of which is the
temple on . lofty stylObate. Except the columns
mentioned, little of the great temple of the
buildings in front Of 1t is left standing but the
ground is covered with their ruins. The vast size
of the stones used in the substructures of the
great platform Is remarkable, some of them being
over go feet long and - feet thick.
South from the great temple is smaller one
known as the Temple of Jupiter 1t is smaller
In FORM having its peristyle and the walls Of its
cells still mostly standing. Its dimensions are
227 feet in length by 1T feet In breadth. with
l6 columns at the sides and 8 at each end. Both
temples as well as the surrounding structures
were built of limestone. in a richly decorated.
somewhat fantastic Corinthian style. Besides
these there stands at distance of 300 yards from
the others q circular building supported on six
granite columns built in mixed Ionic and CORN
THAN style t5s@a
Nearby also are tina remains Of the Temple of
Bacchus, famed for IT'S magnificent carvings
Here are enormous slabs Of stone deliberately
carved with the heads Of emperors and deities
and interviewer with floral designs. the whole
forming unique ceiling The portal Is the gem
Of the entire sdinca The door posts are beauti-