Temple of Nabu (Palmyra)
Ruined sanctuary in Palmyra, Syria From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Temple of Nabu (or temple of Nabo, or Nebo) is a ruined sanctuary located in the city of Palmyra, in Syria and dedicated to the Babylonian deity Nabu. It is considered among the most important of the World Heritage Site of Palmyra.
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|
 Colonnade of the sanctuary and temple of Nabu | |
  Shown within Syria | |
| Location | Palmyra, Homs Governorate, Syria |
|---|---|
| Region | Roman Syria |
| Coordinates | 34°32′59″N 38°16′13″E |
| Type | Religious building |
| Part of | Palmyra |
| History | |
| Material | granite, limestone |
| Founded | 1st century CE[1] |
| Periods | Roman Imperial |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1963–1965 |
The construction of the temple dates back to the second half[2] or the last quarter of the 1st century CE;[1] however the oldest structures of the sanctuary, preceding the architecture that reached us, date back to 23 CE and the construction of the porticoes around the temenos continued during the 2nd century CE.[2]
The temple was dedicated to Nabu, the Babylonian deity of oracles,[3] of wisdom and writing, identified in the Greco-Roman pantheon with Apollo or Mercury. It has been observed that the Palmyrenes' devotion to this oriental god testifies to the relative independence of Palmyra from the prevailing Roman cultural model.[3]
When, between the end of the 2nd century and the beginning of the 3rd century, the central section of the Great Colonnade of Palmyra was erected, the northern part of the temenos The trapezoidal plan[2] of the temple of Nebo was modified,[1][4] but the temple wasn't moved and the colonnaded avenue went around it (it's believed that the traders of Palmyra might have feared negative repercussions from the god if the sanctuary had been moved).[3]
Only a few remains of the ancient sanctuary have survived: the podium on which the temple stood, which measures 180 miles; the bases of the columns that surrounded the main structure of the building; some remains of the external perimeter fence.[1] The temple had a plan structure typical of oriental architecture:[1] the cella was surrounded by a peristyle of 72 Corinthian columns[2] and overlooked an open-air altar facing south; this was accessed from the south through a six-columned propylaeum.[1][2]
The temple of Nabû was discovered, then cleared during the 18th century. The operation takes place during an archaeological expedition. This exploration follows the exhumation of Palmyra of the first urban ruins by merchants from Aleppo, in 1691.
The temple of Nabu was excavated between 1963 and 1965 by a Franco-Syrian archaeological team.[1]
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