Islamic State militants destroys the 2,000 year-old Temple of Bel inSyria: All about it
IndiaToday.in New Delhi, Thursday, September 3, 2015
Temple of Bel in Syria
Islamic State militants in Syria have damaged the 2,000 year old Temple of Bel. The ancient site of Palmyra was one of the most important cultural centres and the most important structures in Syria. The militants destroyed the Temple of Baal after destroying many regions in the city of Palmyra which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was also reported that it was an explosion a deaf would hear.
Some facts on the Temple and the attack:
- It has been reported that a loud explosion was heard across Palmyra on August 30 which damaged the a standing stone building that included the altar
- The IS militants had reportedly used dynamite to destroy the ancient temple
- The temple was situated in the Syrian archaeological site of Palmyra
- The city had more than thousand columns and more than 500 tombs
- The city also used to be a major tourist attraction of Syria before it descended into civil war
- The Temple of Bel, destroyed by the IS militants, is also known as the Temple of Baal
- The temple, dedicated to the Mesopotamian god Bel, also has the lunar god Aglibol and the sun god Yarhibol
- The temple was built on an archaeological mound
- The destroyed temple was also a source of much pride for Syrians
- Earlier in August 2015, IS militant group had destroyed the ancient Temple of Baalshamin in same region of Palmyra
- The Temple of Baal in modern times has been a centre for concerts in the annual Palmyra Music Festival
- A satellite image was also released to show the destruction of the temple
- Islamic State fighters captured the central Syrian town in late May
- In June, the head of the Syrian government's Antiquities and Museums Department, Maamoun Abdulkarim, informed the media that the IS militants had destroyed a lion statue dating back to the 2nd century.
Source http://m.indiatoday.in/education/story/temple-of-bel/1/464481.html
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