When was the Baalbeck Platform built? - Historum

paygan · January 31st, 2011, 04:39 PM

Modern Archaeology such as mentioned in The German Archaeological Institute's The urban planning and historical development of the Roman sanctuary of Baalbek seems to be slowly diverging from the 1905 religiously-biased excavations that suggested the entire Baalbeck Temple Complex was built soley by Romans.

I think the most compelling evidence that the trilithon level of the Jupiter Temple is of pre-Roman construction comes from the quantum of mensuration used for the Foundation Platform on which the Trilithon rests, which is entirely different in style from the other parts of the Complex.

The principles of this calculation, together with a statement on the statistical formulae used in the computations can be consulted in papers published by Broadbent in "Biometrika". Here, it must suffice to give a summary of the conclusions:

The Quantum used in design (m) for The Great Pyramids of Egypt and the Foundation Platform of Baalbeck is 0.523.

The Pre-Great Pyramid Mastabas and Pyramids Foundation Platforms, along with the Ziggurat of Tchoga Zambil uses 0.524. Quantum of 0.523-0.524 are common in megaliths constructed prior to 1,350BC.

The Quantum used for the Great Altar and Great Court of Baalbeck is 0.588 - common of Greco-Roman period.

Christian O'Brien calculated the traction forces required to pull these blocks on iron rollers using 20cm circumferunce Manilla rope either with men or elephants and concluded each to be impossible. Not enough men could fit the ropes and elephant teams would need to be 440 metres long, rendering them uncontrollable and impossible to co-ordinate.

O'Brien's calculations are the best I have read on the subject and available in his book "The Shining Ones" from

He fails to reach a definitive conclusion on how the blocks were moved.

He suggests it's connection with Ba'al / Ba'al Shamain / Shamash / Tubal Cain / Cain / Enlil (same guy, different deifications) indicate a construction date in, or before the third millenium B.C.

Ostanes · January 31st, 2011, 04:51 PM

I agree the trilithon stones are pre-Roman. If they are Roman, then the revisionist historians should be able to tell us which Roman Emperor quarried them when and also provide evidence for it. They can't do that.

All of the historical evidence indicates the stones are pre-Roman.

"This is the city which is mentioned in Scripture as Baalath in the vicinity of the Lebanon, which Solomon built for the daughter of Pharaoh. The place is constructed with stones of enormous size." -- Benjamin of Tudela, geographer, 1160

"When we compare the ruins of Baalbek with those of many ancient cities which we visited in Italy, Greece, Egypt, and in other parts of Asia (and Africa), we cannot help thinking them to be the remains of the boldest plan we ever saw attempted in architecture. Is it not strange then, that the age and the undertaker of the works, in which solidity and duration have been so remarkably consulted, should be a matter of such obscurity...?" -- Robert Wood, geographer/archaelogist, 1757

paygan · February 1st, 2011, 05:57 PM

I can't rule out Solomon because of all the tales I've been fed, and after seeing the Taj Mahal, you would think the trilithon was constructed for a woman! However if you put Solomon's reign at c.968-926 B.C., it seems too late when compared to similar scale and style projects like the Pyramids which run from about 2700-1500 B.C. with Khufu's big one around 2540 B.C.

Some parts of Baalbeck look distinctly Egyptian, we even found star shafts similar to the ones in the King and Queens chambers in parts that looked far less ancient than the darn trilithon stones. There are also 5-10 trilithon level blocks around the side of the Trilithon forming an outer perimiter which are blackened with age and at a guess each weigh in excess of 500 and possibly up to 700 t. They are rarely mentioned. We got some good photos from the temple level, including one of a guy on patrol with a shotgun drawn just outside this perimiter of massive blocks. Will post them here when I get the copyright logo off them...

Thanks for the quotes btw. Fascinating stuff!

**Toltec** · February 1st, 2011, 06:16 PM

Nazi Flying Saucer Alert!

**Toltec** · February 1st, 2011, 06:19 PM

Any other alerts guys?

Ostanes · February 1st, 2011, 06:46 PM

I see a troll has entered the thread.

paygan · February 1st, 2011, 06:54 PM

We could turn this thread into a really cool game where we all make silly speculations like that but I have a feeling that sort of behaviour will get it moved.

Nevertheless - herd of spaghetti monsters alert!!! ;-)

Seriously, I had hoped for some serious evidence based discussion on the dating of this, not speculation.