The Springfield herald., 1913-05-09

for the Berlin museums now possess many of the
finest examples of the carvings found there
Baalbek is the name of ruined city of ancient
Coea-Syria. signifying the "city Of Baal" the sun
god. The name converted by the Greeks,
during the Seleucidian dynasty. into Its Greek
equivalent, Heliopos. 1t is situated in> latitude
"a degrees. minute north longitude &c degrees.
II minutes east, in the plain of Bukas. at the
northern extremity OF low range of bleak hills
about mile from the base of Antilibanon. in
a we'll watered and delightful locality. little
more than 40 miles northwest of Damascus. 1t
was the most magnificent of Syrian cities
full of palaces. fountains and beautiful monu
ments.
These ruins are known as the Acropos and are
unique for their massfveness and for the great
amount OF both bold and delicate carving with
which they are adorned. There is, indeed 80
much carving and such variety to make ones
first visit bewilderng. The temples being built
fiat 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 was rectangu-
lar building 290 feet by 160, having its roof sup
ported by peristyle of "a Corinthan columns.
10 at each side and 10 at each end. OF these
six still standing The circumference Of
these columns is about 20 feet. and the length
of the shaft about IS 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 45O
feet. The main entrance OF the temple
the east Here wide flight of steps led up to
a portico 10 feet above the gardens and orchards
that now surround the ruins. An inscription on
the great portico states that the temple
erected to the Great Gods" OF Heliopos by
Antoninus.
Beyond the portico is hexogonal court
through which large gateway opens into the
great square, at the west end OF which is the
temple 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 being
over GO feet long and 12 feet thick.
South from the great temple is a smaller one
known the Temple of Jupiter. 1t is smaller
in FORM having Its peristye 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 well the surrounding structures
were built of limestone. in richly decorated.
somewhat fantastic Corinthian STYLE Besides
these there stands at distance OF 300 yards from
the others circular building supported six
granite columns built in mixed Ionic and Corin-
THAN style.
Nearby also the remains of the Temple OF
Bacchus famed for its magnificent carvings.
Here are enormous slabs of stone elaborately
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 ediice. The door posts are beauti-