Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1913-05-09

for the Berlin museums possess many of the
finest examples of the carvings found there
Baalbek is the of ruined city of ancient
Coela-Syria, signifying the city of Baal, the
god. The converted by the Creeks
during the Seleucidian dynasty, into its Greek
equivalent HeopoIis. 1t is situated in latitude
81 degrees, minute north longitude 36 degrees.
IL minutes east, in the plain of Bukas, at the
northern extremity of low range of bleak hills
about one mile from the base of Antilibanon, in
well watered and delightful locality, a 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.
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,
much carving and such variety to make ones
first visit bewildering. The temples being built
on a fat plain, 1t was important to raise them
above the surrounding level to render them more
imposing, and to that end there vast sub
structures and vaults and passages supporting
the shrines The most imposing that Of the
great Temple of the Sun, which rectangu-
lar building 200 feet by $780, having its roof sup
ported by a peristye of 81 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
and 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
the east. Here wide fight of steps led up to
portico 10 feet above the gardens and orchards
that now surround the ruins. An inscription
the great portico states that the temple was
erected to the Great Gods" of HeliopoIs by
Antoninus
Beyond the portico is hexogonal court
through which a 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 or of the
buildings In front Of it 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 so feet long and IL feet thick
South from the great temple Is smaller one
known as the Temple of Jupiter. 1t is smaller
in form, having its perstyle and the walls of It's
cells still emostiy standing. It's dimensions are
227 feet in length by lit feet In breadth, with
is columns at the sides anc 8 at each end. Both
temples as well as the surrounding structures
were built OF limestone. In richly decorated,
somewhat fantastic Corinthian style Besides
these there stands at distance of 800 yards from
the others a circular building supported on six
granite columns built in mixed Ionic and CORN
THAN style.
Nearby also are the 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
ef The entire edidce- The door posts are beauti