The Barran Temple (Arabic: معبد بران) is a Sabaean temple near Marib, Yemen; also known as the "Throne of Bilqis", it dates back to the 10th century BCE[1] and was dedicated to the god al-Maqah.
عرش بلقيس | |
 Barran Temple in 2021 | |
  Shown within Yemen | |
| Location | Marib Governorate, Yemen |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 15°24′12″N 45°20′35″E / 15.403227°N 45.343112°E |
| History | |
| Periods | Ancient Yemen |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1951–2, 1988 |
| Archaeologists | Wendell Phillips |
| Part of | Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iii), (iv) |
| Reference | 1700 |
| Inscription | 2023 (45th Session) |
| Endangered | 2023–... |
In 2023, along with other landmarks of the ancient Kingdom of Saba, the temple was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.[2]
Background
editThe temple is located to the west of the Temple of Awwam, also dedicated to the god Almaqah.[3] The main features of the structure are the six columns and the sacred well in the middle of the courtyard.[4] Until the 1988 excavations only five columns were known to exist, when remains of another were discovered.[5] The temple is considered to be the largest pre-Islamic temple in Yemen.[5]
It was partly excavated by Wendell Phillips' expedition of 1951–1952.[6][7] In addition to its religious functions the complex may have also served as a documentation center, as the inscriptions describing the events surrounding the Sabaean state were found on the walls.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Barran Temple". madainproject.com. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Landmarks of Ancient Kingdom of Saba added to UNESCO's World Heritage List". Marib Governorate. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "معبد برَّان.. هنا عاشت بلقيس سبأ". Culture and art. Al Jazeera. 24 March 2014.
- ^ "The Throne of Queen Bilquis". National Yemen. Ancient History Comes Alive. 11 September 2014.
- ^ a b c "Barran Temple". Madain Project. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ "Yemen Tourism". Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Arsh Bilqis" بـلـقـيـس [Throne of Queen Bilquis] (pdf). Yemen Tourism Promotion Board. Barran Temple (in Arabic and English). Republic of Yemen: Ministry of Tourism. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2018.