#tophet

Phoenicia Rising

Phoenicia was a vibrant ancient civilization that thrived along the Mediterranean coast, spanning what is now Syria, Lebanon, and northern Israel. This maritime powerhouse was renowned for its remarkable ships, adorned with horses' heads in honor of their sea god, Yamm. The cities of Tyre and Sidon were the pillars of Phoenician power, while Gebal/Byblos and Baalbek served as significant spiritual centers.

Key Facts

Location: Modern-day Syria, Lebanon, and northern Israel.

Major Cities: Tyre, Sidon, Gebal/Byblos, and Baalbek.

Timeframe: Emerged c. 3200 BCE; flourished from c. 1500-332 BCE.

Economic Strength: Skilled in ship-building, glass-making, dye production, and luxury goods manufacturing.

Historical Context

Phoenicia began to take shape around 3200 BCE, with its city-states firmly established by 2750 BCE. By 1500 BCE, Phoenicia had become a major hub for maritime trade and manufacturing, famous for its expertise in crafting ships and luxury goods.

Historical Significance

Phoenicia's legacy is marked by its significant contributions to maritime trade and manufacturing. The Phoenicians were crucial in spreading goods and ideas across the Mediterranean, leaving a lasting impact on the development of Western civilization. Their achievements in ship-building and trade paved the way for future empires, showcasing their enduring influence on history.

Marseille, Vieille-Charité, Musée d'Archéologie Méditerranéenne.

tributaire mède, bas-relief en albâtre - Khorsabad, palais de Sargon, 730 av. J-C.

stèles, l'une avec le signe de Tanit, l'autre avec un chapiteau hathorique - Tophet de Carthage, 200 av. J-C.

déesses en terre cuite - Suse, IIème millénaire av. J-C.

scène de combat, bas-relief en albâtre - Khorsabad, palais de Sargon, 730 av. J-C.

stèle, signe de Tanit - tophet d'El Hofra, Constantine, Algérie, 220-25 av. J-C.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_Hinnom_(Gehenna)

The Valley of Hinnom is first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as part of the border between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 15:8). During the late First Temple period, it was the site of the Tophet, where some of the kings of Judah had sacrificed their children by fire (Jeremiah 7:31). Thereafter, it was cursed by the biblical prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 19:2–6). In later Jewish rabbinic literature, Gehinnom became associated with divine punishment in Jewish Apocalypticism as the destination of the wicked. It is different from the more neutral term Sheol, the abode of the dead. The King James Version of the Bible translates both with the Anglo-Saxon word hell.

The Valley of Hinnom is the Modern Hebrew name for the valley surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem and the adjacent Mount Zion from the west and south. It meets and merges with the Kidron Valley, the other principal valley around the Old City, near the Pool of Siloam which lie to the southeastern corner of Ancient Jerusalem.

Roman and Greek sources state that Carthaginians engaged in child sacrifice by burning them alive. Historians have believed this for years, and it seemed to be backed up by the discovery of cremains in one area of the city that seemed to be made up entirely of infants. It wasn't a stretch; plenty of cultures did human sacrifice and there's no reason to assume otherwise in this case... other than the fact that the Romans were propagandistic assholes and needed justification for committing genocide.

Yeah, I'm a bit biased.

However, more extensive research showed that many of the remains had to be fetal. One of the biggest indications are the teeth. You can tell a lot from teeth, including injury or illness. Many of the teeth in the baby graves lack the signs of the first trauma humans ever experience: birth.

(And isn't that poetic on its own? The first insult your body suffers is life itself.)

The thought now is that the Carthaginians loved their children very much and maintained a separate graveyard for stillbirths and children lost in infancy. It was probably a sacred place, and the remains were perhaps consecrated to a specific god. The most charitable explanation for the assumption of sacrifice is that the Romans witnessed a funeral, and assumed that the grieving mother and the burning child were something much more sinister.

Then again, it's totally possible that the sacrifices were real. It's hard to tell when any and all evidence has been destroyed. (Seriously, fuck the Romans so, so much.)

Boston Post, Massachusetts, July 26, 1921

Phoenician Religion

The Phoenician Religion, as in many other ancient cultures, was an inseparable part of everyday life. Gods such as Baal, Astarte, and Melqart had temples built in their name, offerings and sacrifices were regularly made to them, royalty performed as their high priests, and even ships carried thei...