The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-05-15

for the Berlin museums now possess many of the
finest examples of this carvings found there.
Baalbek is the of ruined city Of ancient
Cocla. Syria, signifying the "city of Baa' the sun
god The converted by the Greeks,
during the Seleucdian dynasty, into its Greek
equivalent, Heliopolis. 1t is situated in latitude
"a degrees, minute north, longitude 36 degrees,
II minutes east, in the plain of Buka's at the
northern extremity OF a low range OF bleak hllis'
about one mile from the base of Antilibanon in
we'll watered and delightful locality, little
more than 40 miles northwest of Damascus. 1t
was once the most magnificent of Syrian cities,
full of palaces, fountains and beautiful monu
ments.
These ruins are known as the Acropols and are
unique for their massiveness and for the great
amount of both bold and delicate carving with
which they adorned. There u.s. indeed SO
much carving and such variety as to make ones
first visit bewildering. The temples being built
on fiat plain, it was important to raise them
above the surrounding level to render them more
imposing, and to that end there are vast SUD
structures and vaults and passages supporting
the 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 81 Corinthian columns
10 at each side and 10 at each end or these
six are still standing. The circumference of
these columns is about % feet, and the length
of the shaft about IS feet with pedestal, capital
and entablature they measure about 81 feet IN
height, The great Temple OF the sun Occuplcu u
platform On the Acropols about 1000 feet by 45O
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 1leliopolis by
| Antoninus.
Beyond the rortico is hexogonal court
through which large gateway opens into the
great square, at the west end OF which is the
temple on a lofty styobate, Except the columns
mentioned little of the great temple or or 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 be1ns
over 60 feet long and IL feet thick.
South from the great temple is smaller ont
known as the Temple of Jupiter. 1t is smaile
in form, having Its peristye and the walls OF 1T
cells still mostly standing Its dimensions ar
, 227 feet in length by III feet in breadth, witt
. Is columns at the sides and at each end. Boil
temples as we'll as the surrounding structure
, were built of limestone in richly decorated
somewhat fantastic Corinthian style. Beside
these there stands at distance of 300 yards fror
/ the others a circular building supported on 81
= granite columns built in mixed Ionic and Cori1
. THAN style.
Nearby also are the remains of the Temple
, Bacchus famed for it's magnificent carvings
! Here are enormous slabs of stone elaborate!
. ! carved with the heads of emperors and deitie
I and interviewer with floral designs the Whol
! forming unique ceiling. The portal is the gel
of the entire edifce. TIE door posts are beaut