Jbail Things to Do

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Dedicated to the Egyptian god Resheph, the Great Temple of Byblos dates from around 2600 BC. It is nicknamed the L-Shaped Temple because of its shape. The temple was destroyed during the Amorite occupation, but was later (around 1900 BC) rebuilt as the Temple of the Obelisks. The ruins of the latter were moved further east to allow archaeologists to dig deeper to uncover the more ancient foundation of the Great Temple.

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Thought to have been built in the 19th century BC, the Temple of the Obelisks is an unusual temple. It speaks volumes about the strong connection that Byblos had with Ancient Egypt, to which the city state exported cedar-wood and other valuable products. The temple contained a cella (inner sanctuary) in which stood a large monumental obelisk dedicated to the Egyptian god of war, Resheph. Other smaller obelisks that still stand to this day dotted the temple's courtyard, each of which is thought to have been erected by a pious person wanting to eternalise his presence near the deity. Upon the excavation of this temple, archaeologists found treasures of offerings to the gods. Those artefacts are now mostly on display at the National Museum in Beirut. Note that this temple was moved to its current location by archaeologists to allow them to excavate further below. The Temple of the Obelisks was in fact originally built over a predecessor, the L-shaped temple also dedicated to Resheph.

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The area surrounding the Ottoman House and the Bronze Age Palace contains the ruins of Neolithic and Chalcolithic settlements, from around 5000 BC and 3500 BC, respectively. Little more than the foundations of these settlements can be seen and would not excite anyone other than the keenest archaeologists among us. The very knowledge of their existence, though, is enough for an ordinary visitor to appreciate the length of history that Byblos has endured.

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Prior to the excavation, the entire archaeological site was covered with beautiful 19th century red tiled houses. These houses were demolished one by one to allow for the excavation of the site. Only one house was preserved to provide perspective to the visitor. Though decaying, the house is a beautiful example of Lebanese architecture in the late-Ottoman period, and represents yet another civilisation/period in the long history of Byblos. It is unfortunate that the department of antiquities has not restored the remaining house and found a use for it. Perhaps another small museum/exhibition space, or even better, a café or restaurant on the site with stunning views of the sea and Beirut?

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The ruins of a palace and other residences from the Early Bronze Age (2900 - 2300 BC) can be found just below the Ottoman House. The base of the walls of the palace is rather intact, but otherwise, much is left to the imagination (see photos).

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Only a third of the once grand Roman Theatre of Byblos has survived to this day. It was built in 218 AD and its floor once contained a mosaic of the god Bacchus, now at the National Museum of Beirut. The reconstructed remains of the theatre are currently placed near the shore, an excellent spot from which to watch the sunset and the Mediterranean Sea. However, the theatre was originally located further east above some of the more ancient ruins. In fact, it was moved to its current location by archaeologists to allow them to excavate further below to reach older civilisations.

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Within the archaeological site are the remains of another Roman colonnade from the 3rd century AD. Only six Corinthian columns are upright with part of the original frieze connecting two of them. This colonnade was part of a ceremonial passage that led to the Temple of Baalat-Gebal (the Lady of Byblos, a Semitic goddess equated with Hathor and Isis), which was rebuilt during Roman times and rededicated to Aphrodite (Astarte).

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Discovered by accident in 1922 in the area between the Castle and the sea, the Royal Necropolis contains tombs that date from 2nd millennium BC. This was the late Amorite period into the Ancient Egyptian occupation in Byblos. With a local guide, it is possible to descend into a tunnel that lead to the bottom of the shafts used to bury the sarcophagi. Seen in one of the attached photos is a stone sarcophagus of a prince from around 1900 BC. Other sarcophagi have been moved to museums, the most important of which is that of King Heram from 1200 BC, now on display at the Beirut National Museum.