Kalybe (temple)

They were intended to serve as a "public facade or stage-setting, solely for the display of statuary."

The first kalybe to be identified as a distinct type was in Umm Iz-Zetun[2] (or Zetum),[3] described by Eugène-Melchior de Vogüé in 1867.

Other than these, the only occurrence of the term is in a lexicon of Hesychius of Alexandria from the 5th century;[2] since that time more than seven similar temples have been identified in Roman Syria.

In addition to Umm Iz-Zetum these include Shaqqa (Saccaea), Il-Haiyat, Shahba (Philippopolis) (built around 245 by the Emperor Philip the Arab), Qanawat (Kanatha), Bosra (Bostra),[2] Amman (Philadelphia )[1] and Hippos.

Their form most resembles the rock-cut temples at Petra,[1] and most have been found in cities that were formerly part of the Nabataean Kingdom.