On the Rise and Fall of Canaanite Religion at Baalbek: A Tale of Five Toponyms

Date

2009

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Society of Biblical Literature [Society Publisher]

Abstract

In this article, I shall attempt to show that the rise and fall of Canaanite religion at Baalbek from the Bronze Age to the Byzantine period can be traced with the help of five toponyms: (1) Mbk Nhrm (Source of the Two Rivers),4 (2) בקעת און (Valley of Idolatry), (3) בעל בכי (Baal of Weeping), (4) עין בכי (Spring of Weeping), and (5) Bclbk/Baclabakku (Baal-Bacchus). All of these are Semitic; the Greek name of Baalbek, Heliopolis, will not be discussed.5

Description

Scholarly article

Keywords

Baalbek, toponyms, Valley of Idolatry, Valley of Weeping, Spring of Weeping

Citation

Steiner, Richard C. “On the Rise and Fall of Canaanite Religion at Baalbek: A Tale of Five Toponyms,” _Journal of Biblical Literature_, vol. 128, no. 3 (Fall 2009): 507-525