Baal Marqod (in Greek alphabet: ΒΑΛ ΜΑΡΚΟΔ, in Latin alphabet: BALMARCOD, restored in Phoenician: 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤌𐤓𐤒𐤃, romanized: bʿl mrqd)[1][2] was a Phoenician god of dancing.[3][4] He is attested in Greek and Latin inscriptions from the Maronite monastery in Deir al-Qal'a (near Beit Mery), which was built on a sanctuary dedicated to Baal Marqod, built in the first century CE.[5][3] Although 19th century scholar had made some different hypotheses of the nature of this god, he is commonly explained as "Baal of dancing" or "lord of dancing" (Baal is both a noun meaning "lord" and a divine name).[1][6][4] The name is believed to correspond with his Greek title κοίρανος κωμων (κῶμοι implies games and dances).[1][7] it is unknown whether he is called so because he was considered the creator of dancing or because dancing was merely the proper way to worship him.[6]
The inscriptions often addressed him as "Iupiter Optimus Maximus Balmarcod" (not Jupiter Optimus Maximus Capitolinus[8]).[9][10] In one inscription he was called also Μηγριν, meaning threshing floor, as in Hebrew grn), and it may mean that Baal Marqod was also the protector of the crops.[11]
Baal Marqod is mentioned in the modern play Le Martyre de saint Sébastien.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b c Renan, Ernest (1864). Mission de Phénicie (in French). Imprimerie impériale. p. 355. [1] [2] [3]
- ^ Kaizer, Ted (2005). "Leucothea as Mater Matuta at Colonia Berytus: A note on local mythology in the Levant and the Hellenisation of a Phoenician city". Syria. 82: 204. ISSN 0039-7946.
- ^ a b Tubb, Jonathan N. (2003). "Phoenician Dance". Near Eastern Archaeology. 66 (3): 125. doi:10.2307/3210915. ISSN 1094-2076.
- ^ a b Tubb, Jonathan N. (2003). "Phoenician Dance". Near Eastern Archaeology. 66 (3): 122. doi:10.2307/3210915. ISSN 1094-2076.
- ^ Clermont-Ganneau, Ch. (1888). Recueil d'archéologie orientale. Ernest Leroux. p. 94.
- ^ a b Sendrey, Alfred (1969). Music in Ancient Israel. Philosophical Library. p. 441.
- ^ "Proche Orient". L'Année épigraphique. 2015: 726–728. 2018. ISSN 0066-2348.
- ^ Quinn, Josephine Crawley; Wilson, Andrew (2013). "Capitolia". The Journal of Roman Studies. 103: 129. ISSN 0075-4358.
- ^ Renan, Ernest (1864). Mission de Phénicie (in French). Imprimerie impériale. pp. 355–356. [4] [5] [6]
- ^ Rey-Coquais, Jean-Paul (1967). Inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie. Tome VI – Baalbek et Beqaʿ, Nos 2711-3017. Librairie orientaliste Paul Geuthner. pp. 68 (inscription no. 2739).
- ^ "Proche Orient". L'Année épigraphique. 2015: 727. 2018. ISSN 0066-2348.
- ^ Locke, Ralph P. (2007). "Unacknowledged Exoticism in Debussy: The Incidental Music for Le martyre de saint Sébastien (1911)". The Musical Quarterly. 90 (3/4): 379. ISSN 0027-4631.
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