The Sanctuary
Eshmunit site is located in Bterram, a very beautiful village of El Koura (North Lebanon). It is
a very old underground structure, which is composed of eight rock-cut rooms (one big
and seven small) accessible through a stepped ramp composed of 11 rocky stairs (see
left picture).
Eshmunit's mystery
Eshmunit is though to be dedication to Eshmun's consort and the only remaining site
dedicated to her. Eshmun is 'the Holy Prince', the god of the Phoenician city of Sidon, and a
god of vital force, health and healing. He was worshipped in Tyre and in the colonies Cyprus,
and Carthage, but not in Ugarit. The Greeks identified him with Asclepius. His symbolic
attributes were a snake rolling on a rod and also a snake biting its own tail, making a circle,
symbol of eternity, power feeding on itself.
Many legends about the temple are still floating and commonly include stories of miraculous
healing and association with fertility. The old inhabitants, mostly the women, still visit the
temple, light candles and touch the walls seeking Eshmunit’s blessing. To keep the spirit of
healing alive, several hundred years ago, Bterram’s Christian church was dedicated to
Cosmas and Damian, the patron saints of medicine. Later on, the church incorporated the
old temple of Eshmunit in its domain and erected a cross on its roof. The proximity of the
two structures could have been a factor.
Dr Semaan Salem, the author of several historical books and publications described it as
follow: "Eshmunit is about 3500 years old. It's was dug to be a graveyard. The fact that the
name of the monument is still preserved without being written anywhere indicates that
Bterram has been continually inhabited for that long period." Recently, Dr Salem engraved a
short description on a stone affixed to Eshmunit wall (see above picture). The project was
offered by Balamand University.
Indeed, according to Dr Aksam Merched The dedication of Eshmunit to Eshmun or his
consort is not well documented, but probably inherited from the mysterious legends
concerning the healing, the fertility and the eternity powers residing within the temple.
However, one unknown association might be revealed from a close etymological
examination of Bterram, the village where the Eshmunit temple is located, offering a strong
connection to Eshmun’s consort.
The access to the main
room of Eshmunit through a
stepped ramp or dromos.
Three rock-cut chambers inside
Eshmunit .
Bterram is still known to the older generations as Bturran and old Syriac manuscripts from the XII
century A.D. witness some acts by the Seigneur of Bterram who has been mentioned as “Galterius de
Buturân” (Bibliothèques et Conservation du Patrimoine graphique au Liban). Interestingly, the original
name Bturan (Beturan) or “beth” “Turan” refers to “the house” or “the temple” of “Turan”. Indeed, the
latter is a name of Astarte, mainly used by the Etruscans. This combination of Etruscan and Phoenician
names is not as far fetch as it seems, as it reflects somehow the multicultural nature of the Phoenicians
and their beliefs. It should be noted that according to many analyses, the Etruscans, or the inhabitants of
the northern part of what is Italy, and the Phoenicians have very close origins.
Short historical description by Dr Semaan
Salem engraved on a stone affixed to
Eshmunit's wall (click to enlarge)
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Moreover, the attribution of Turan’s name to a Phoenician place is not exclusive to Bturan. For instance, Turan is a village name in
Galilee, known for its catacombs and sarcophagi. The name is associated to a valley and a mountain (Jebel Turan). Interestingly, a
deeper analysis of the history of this place shows it was known before as Ashara, which is the Canaanite goddess Astarte.
Probably, the Phoenicians and Etruscans were having closer connections than we ever thought. More material evidence about this
relationship is the recent discovery in the Etruscan town of Caere (Italy) which showed that the Etruscan king of the city, Thefarie
Velianas, had dedicated a sacred place in the Etruscan sanctuary to the Phoenician goddess Astarte herself. The finding consisted
of a bilingual document (Etruscan, Phoenician), the Pyrgi Tablets, found in an excavation of the Etruscan sanctuary and that goes
back to the early 5th century B.C.
Following my analysis (AJM), Bterram or Bturan meaning “Temple of Astarte” is named after the mysterious Eshmunit sanctuary,
which has being a symbol of fertility, eternity, and associated with healing and probably death-related rituals. The hypothesis needs
further examination and confrontation with archeological facts yet to be found.
Eshmunit of
Bterram
