The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 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
Coela Syria. signifying the city Of Baa" the sun
- The name WAS Converted by the Greeks,
~ the Selsb .cdian dynasty, into its Greek
equivalent, H.-.opolis. 1t is situated in latitude
- degrees minute north. longitude Sc degrees,
IL minutes east, In the plain OF Buka's, at the
northern extremity Of low range Of bleak hills,
about one mile from the base of Antbanon, in
q 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-
ments.
These ruins are known the Acropoiis 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. so
much carving and such variety as to make ones
nrst visit bewildering. The temples being built
on a 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 was that OF the
great Temple of the Sun, which a rectangu-
lar building 290 feet by, 100 having its 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
platform on the Acropolis about 1000 feet by $50
feet. The main entrance Of the temple was on
20 the east Here wide flight Of steps led up to
q 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 Heopolis by
Antoninus.
Beyond the portico is a hexogonal court
through which a 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 being
over go feet long and IL feet thick.
South from the great temple is a smaller one
known the Temple of Jupiter. It is smaller
tn FORM having its peristyle and the walls Of it's
cells still mostly standing Its dimensions are
a37 feet in length by III feet in breadth. with
Is columns at the sides and at each end Both
temples we'll as the surrounding structures
were built Of limestone in a 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 Corin
THAN style.
Nearby also the remains Of the Temple oil
Bacchus famed for its 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 edifce. The door posts are beauti