The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-05-27

Tor the Berlin museums now possess many OF the
hnest examples of the carvings found there
Baalbek is the name of a ruined city of ancient
CoeiaSyria, signfying the city of Baal" the sun
god The name converted by the Greeks
during the Seleucidian dynasty into its Greek
equivalent, Heliopolis. 1t is situated in latitude
"a degrees, minute north longitude Sc degrees
III minutes east. i'm the plain of Bukas at the
northern extremity CT 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
tull or palaces. fountains and beautiful monu-
ments.
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
nrst visit bewidering. The temples being built
on fat 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 shrines. The most imposing that OF the
great Temple OF the Sum- which was a rectangu-
lar building 200 feet by 100 having it's roof sup
ported by a peristyle 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 so feet in
height The great Temple OF the Sun occupied a
platform on the Acropolis about 900 feet by $50
feet. The main entrance of the temple was on
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 on
the great portico states that the temple was
erected to the Great Gods" OF HeliopoIis 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 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 60 feet long and 2 feet thick
South from the great temple is a smaller one
known as the Temple Of Jupiter. II IS smaller
IN form having its peristyle and the walls Of it's
cells still mostly standing It's dimensions are
2S1 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
we're built Of limestone In a richly decorated.
somewhat fantastic Corinthian style Besides
these there stands at distance Of 300 yards from
the others a circular building supported on six
granite columns built In mixed Ionic and CORN.
THAN style
Nearby also 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
OF the entire edfce The door posts are beaut