Temple in antis

[2] Arriving from Northern Syria whether from Assyrian or Amorite diffusion, the temples share similar characteristics with some home designs from Anatolia in modern Turkey.

Most of the temples follow similar design plans making it easy to track their spread across the Levant.

These temples give a glimpse into the religious practices and urbanization that took place in the Levant during the Bronze and Iron Age.

[1] The plans are simple, uniform, and segmented into three parts Having an entrance, vestibule, cult room (a long rectangular room with a religious icon as the focus), and the Holy of Holies, a hidden part of the temple placed in the back of the temple from the general public.

Most of the Temples in Syrian and the Levant had their entrances face towards the sunrise, and had an open area or courtyard in front.

With varying designs and artifacts found it is hard to make a full picture of religious practices without written documentation, which unlike the rest of the region is not as prevalent in the Levant.

Since the remains of the ancient temple now reside beneath the Dome of the Rock any archaeological dig is currently unlikely.

The main hall or Hekal was 40 cubits long According to the bible this room walls were covered in carved cedar murals with gold inlay.

Carved into the floor between the porch and main hall are several feet, the meaning is debatable, but probably marks the deities path into the temple.

At the back of the temple there is a hall full of carved stelae with pictures of religious practices and royalty of the time.