The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-05-10

for the Berlin museums now possess many Of the
finest examples of the carvings found there.
Baalbek is the name of a ruined city Of ancient
CoelaSyra. signifying the city of Baal." the
god The name was converted by the Greeks,
during the Seleucidan dynasty, into its Greek
equivalent Heliopolis. 1t is situated in latitude
81 degrees, l minute north. longitude So degrees.
II minutes east in the plain of Buka's, at the
northern extremity of low range of bleak hills,
about mile from the base Of Antilibanon in
a well watered and delightful locality, a little
more than 40 miles northwest of Damascus. 1t
was once the most magnificent Of Syrian cities
full of palaces fountains and beautiful monu-
These ruins known as the Acropolis and are
unique for their massiveness and for the great
amount of both bold and delicate carving with
which they adorned. There is, indeed. SO
much carving and such variety as to make ones
first visit bewildering. The temples being built
on fiat plain, it 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
the shrnes The most imposing was that or the
great Temple of the SUM- which was rectangu-
lar building 290 feet by 160, having its roof sup
ported by a perstyle of "a Corinthian columns,
10 at each side and 10 at each end OF these
six still standing. The circumference OF
these columns is about % feet. and the length
of the shaft about IS feet with pedestal, capital
and entabature they measure about S0 feet IN
height. The great Temple of the Sun occupied
platform on the Acropolis about 1000 feet by 45O
feet The main entrance of the temple was on
the east Here a wide flight of steps led up to
n 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 a lofty stylobate. Except the columns
mentioned little OF the great temple or 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 be1ng
over 60 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 III feet in breadth. with
Is columns at the sides and at each end Both
temples as we'll the surrounding structures
were built of limestone, in richly decorated,
somewhat fantastic Cornthian style. Besides
these there stands at distance of 300 yards from
the others circular building supported on six
granite columns built in mixed Ionic and Corin-
THAN style.
Nearby also are the remains OF the Temple OF
Bacchus famed for its magnificent carvings.
Here are enormous slabs of stone elaborateiy
carved with the heads Of emperors and defties
and interviewer with floral designs. the whole
forming a unique ceiling. The portal is the gem
of the entire edifice. The door posts are beautl-