Ancient Temple

I have read about an ancient temple in the mountains above Jouna or Byblos, which was once considered as a possible UNESCO site, but is now almost totally forgotten... it is a place with red clay soil and it is near to Hussroun. I believe that a river (Adonis River?) originates in this place. Does anyone know the place I mean, and do you have any information about it?

I believe it has a symbol of a snake associated with the site... a snake as found on the symbol for medical or theraputic healing... I am sorry to be so obtuse, but I do not have much information... I am quite interested in this place. It may or may not be the same place known once as Aphaka or Afaka.

thanks if you know about this and are willing to share,

Joseph.
P.S. I think this is a fantastic site, and shows Lebanon at its very best!

Dear Joseph,
Thanks for posting a comment in our Forum.
You are not giving us a lot of information to locate the place.
The area you mention.. from Byblos, Jounieh, Hassroun, Afqa, Adonis river.. is considered in this small country as nearly half Lebanon ;o)
There is two possibilities where the temple might be located. Either Afqa which has a lot of old temple since Phoenician and also it might be located in Douma in north of Lebanon.
Douma a charming village in the north of Lebanon with its red roof was known to have a temple of the God of medicine and was later transformed into a church for St. Doumit.

For more information, please visit this URL
http://www.discoverlebanon.com/en/panoramic_views/north/al_batroun/village_douma.php

Thanks for your appreciation regarding our site... we will do our best soon to add more views and information about Lebanon.
William MATAR

Last edited by admin on Sat Jul 12, 2008 6:50 pm; edited 1 time in total

Dear Joseph,
I asked today a friend Mr Guy Guepara who is a professional in tourism.
The temple you ask about is located just a minutes from Sidon (Naher El Awali).
Eshmoun a unique Phoenician site in Lebanon.
Legend has it that Eshmoun was a young man of Beirut who loved to hunt. The goddess Astarte fell in love with him, but to escape her advances he mutilated himself and died. Not to be outdone, Astarte brought him back to life in the form of a god. It is also said that the village of Qabr Shmoun, near Beirut, still preserves the memory of the young god's tomb.
Known primarily as a god of healing, Eshmoun's death and resurrection also gave him the role of a fertility god who dies and is reborn annually.
As the god of healing, Eshmoun was identified with Asklepios, the Greek god of medical art. it is from belief in the healing power of Eshmoun-Asklepios and the snake that we get the sign of the medical profession that is now used worldwide. Our modern caduceus, a staff intertwined with two serpents, is derived from these symbols.
The caduceus can be seen in a gold plaque of Eshmoun and the goddess Hygeia (Health) which was found near the temple. It shows Eshmoun holding in his right hand a staff around which a serpent is entwined. There is also an early 3rd century A.D. Beirut coin depicting Eshmoun standing between two serpents.
Soon I hope... will take views and cover this fantastic area of Lebanon.. lands of gods.. and God Surprised

))

This is a great forum. I ask a question, and I get an answer. This is really terrific!

I have read several stories about this place... different versions of the story... that the river turns red (on account of the red clay soil in the mountains above) to mark the tragic death of the great hero... also that it was not to escape the advances of Astarte that he died, but rather simply that he MUST be HUMAN and humans hunt and die... I have also read that millions of tiny read (purple?) flowers grow at the bottom of the mountains, where this river makes it's final approach to the sea... it is a wonderful story... but the story is usually not Eshmoun, but Adonis... I may be confusing things...

But also, I have read that ABOVE the spot where the river flows to the coast - high in the mountains above Sidon(?) - is the temple of Eshmoun. Have I got this all confused? I was under the impression that the river was the Adonis river... and that it was around Jounieh... a long way from Sidon, I think...

THIS is the story I''m looking for: "Afqa is the sacred source of the Adonis River (modern Nahr Ibrahim), where the waters emerge from a huge grotto in a cliff 200 meters high. It is here that the myth of Venus and Adonis was born. The story goes that while out hunting, Adonis was killed by a wild boar. Venus (the Phoenician goddess Astarte), who was his lover, tried to save him but she was too late. And so it is the blood of Adonis that each spring turns the torrential river to red."

Thanks for all of your assistance. I hope one day to dip my feet into this sacred river!

Joseph Romain.

Dear Joseph,
Those are two different stories..
Lebanese usually knows very well the story of Naher Ibrahim who was named before the Adonis River because of the Hero Adonis...
But the other story related to the first temple of Health and medical art is about Eshmoun, the young legend who mutilated himself and dye because of his love of Astarte.. and this story is about the Naher El Awali and not related directly to the Naher Adonis...etc... and the Hero Adonis
Take care
Hope your dream come true and you visit Lebanon as soon as possible
William Matar

THANK YOU, WILLIAM!

Now I think I understand why I had confused these two stories and places! I did not know that there were two stories which resembled each other and that I was confusing them... I thought that there were simply various versions of the same story...

Has anyone on this forum been to the Temple of Eshmoun? Is there anything much there to see? I have read a descrption, but it is from the 1800's and I expect things may be different by now!

I wonder if there are any paintings or watercolors of these stories... this is rich soil for the creative mind - these old stories still have great power if we resurrect them and allow them to live in our times again! In my own case, I would like to explore these rivers and their Gods, myths and histories... this is powerful material for any artist, in whatever medium they work!

I am very please to hear that these stories are known to every schoolboy in Lebanon! This bodes well for the future, since the past holds the keys to this future...

Thank you all for your kind assistance. It is no wonder the Lebanese are known around the world for thier kindness and hospitality!

Joseph.

Hello!
Thanks Joseph
Hope soon DiscoverLebanon.com will go there to take views of the place and add later information Surprised

)
I think Mr Victor Haddad who has his portfolio in OneFineArt.com at http://www.onefineart.com/en/artists/haddad/ has done something related to Eshmoun...
Mr Haddad is now in United States... please try to contact him since his works all are done about Lebanon History and Legends....