Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-01-16

mass, the Egyptian temples
lead. For intricacy of detail the
Indian gopurams surpass. For delicacy
of design, the Tai Mahal will long hold
the palm. But the ruins at Baalbek
are both impressive and magnificent,
inspiring, satisfying. The pyramid of
Cheops is child's play compared with
the many-ton entablature which sur
mounts the airy columns of the Temple
of the Sun. A house can be moved up
a hill, but by what machinery did the
builders of Baalbek' poise such a mass
at such a height? asks Maynard Owen
Williams in the Christian Herald.
Baalbek is situated at the base of
the Jebel esh Sherki or Eastern noun
tain, better known to us as the Anti
Lebanon, whose SHOWS sometimes ex-
tend down to the town, itself 1000 feet
above the sea. Numerous springs are
found here, and graceful poplars and
green vegetation stand out in pleasing
contrast with the level brown or pur-
plish tone of the plain.
Fifteen miles away the background
VI tlC PittolC otAClthto iiOAh OfOOV-
foot Sannin In the south to Dabr ul
Khadib. whose blunt summit is nearly
1000 feet above the sea.
In this charming spot, where nature
must have impressed man with her
grandeur and majesty, he Wed with her
in achieving the titanic. AS one stands
beside one of the fallen pillars. whose
round base towers high above his head,
1t seems as though the ambitious build
ers had succeeded. The high contain
ing walls shut in the view to center 1t
on this mighty pile. But as one rides
across the Bika on his way to the
cedars of Lebanon and looks back on
the ruins, the colossal group becomes
but tiny gem on natures bosom.
Cain Built First Temple.
Cain is said to have built the first
temple at Baalbek, using the mastodon
as his work-animal for transporting
stone. That makes Baalbek rather old
BY the early Pheniclan period BaalbeB
had become famous as the center OF
Baal worship. Since then, the Seleu-
eide, the Romans, the Byzantines and
the Saracens have ruled there. There
is nothing in the ruins that tells the
average tourist the history of these
mighty structures, but Baedekers are
handy If not cheap, and a Baedekel
and Bible are the prime necessities
of Levantine travel.
Picture that famous church of Paris
the Madeleine, standing at height OF
so feet above level plain, surrounded
by "a columns nearly eight feet IL
diameter, whose bases alone are tallel
than a man, and you have some
idea of the temple to Helio'
which gave Heliopolis its name
Today only six Of the mighty col
umns remain erect, like proud sen
tinels guarding their fallen brothers
Each column is made up of three
pieces, each % feet in height, making
up with the cornice a total height o
80 feet. They are of a tawny shade
blushing with brighter tint when TIL
slanting light of sunrise or sunset fall
across their stately height.
Massive Carved Cornice.
Michael M. Alouf, Syrian or Baal
bek, thus describes the cornice: 9Th
column is surmounted by Corinthial
capital, entablature. frieze and cornice
magnifcently sculptured. The entabla
ture presents a row of egg pattern
surmounted by consoles with scanthu
leaves, with number of small lion
and bulls carved on them. Higher u
are tooth patterns and small roses
then a Greek key design. On the W
per cornice, above each column, Their
are some lions heads, with gapin
jaws, which served as an issue for tn
rain water"
The part from the tooth pattern t
the top is only half the total height
yet when / stood on the ground 4