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Arts & Communication Culture as a drive for art and architecture

The main courtyard (Figure 7A: no. 1), (Figure 8B) most
probably used for outside ceremonies, is rectangular and
located in front of the temple’s main access. It accommodates
an external altar (2.2 m × 2.2 m), (Figure 8B) which is
thought to have been used for large sacrifices. The other
courtyard (Figure 7A: no. 4) is located to the east and is
thought to have been used for storing sacrificed animals.
The foundations of the surrounding walls indicate that these
walls were high and thick, though not as thick as the temple’s
walls. This confirms the thought that these courtyards were
not visible from the outside, ensuring privacy for the sacred
activities and rituals conducted there.
The annexes (Figure 7A: no. 2 and no. 3) occupy the
northwest and southeast corners of the complex. The first
one (Figure 7A: no. 2) is located at the main entrance of
the enclosure, along with the western wall. It is believed to
have had a dual function: serving as an indirect secondary
access to the main courtyard (Figure 7A: no. 1) in addition
to accommodating the guardians of the temple. The other
annex (Figure 7A: no. 3) is a rectangular (or perhaps
Figure 5. Ugarit’s map showing the connection between the palace and square) space located at the southeast corner of the
the temples with evidence of excavated parts of the route. Drawings enclosure. All plans created before 1988 do not show that
prepared by the author using AutoCAD software based on topographic this annex existed, but during the last surveys conducted
information and the author’s filed analysis and observation in 2013.
by Callot in 1988 and 2005, the northwest corner of this
space was uncovered. This encouraged Callot to assume
city’s economy, maritime, trade, and agriculture has been that there was another (simpler) annex in this corner of
confirmed by many texts discovered in Ugarit. 9,12
the temple complex. The ritual texts discovered in Ugarit
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The same street, known as Library Street, continues reveal that the Ugaritic cults involved preparing a meal for
eastward to connect the temple’s enclosure with the the god after sacrificing the animals (p. 1253). Taking
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other temple on the Acropolis, the Temple of Dagan. these texts into account, Callot proposed that this annex
Furthermore, the Temple of Baal was well-connected to was most probably used for this purpose, considering that
the surrounding domestic areas occupied by the city’s it had links to both courtyards where animals had been
workers (Figure 6A), strongly reflecting the relationship stored and sacrificed. Furthermore, the assumed function,
between the temple and the local community across all food preparation, is plausible, particularly since the space
social classes. In his book Les sanctuaires de l’acropole is located in the far corner of the main building and does
d’Ougarit: Les temples de Baal et de Dagan, Callot shows not conflict with other ceremonial activities that might
that some remains of the stone steps between the temple have taken place in the main courtyard (Figure 7A: no. 1).
and the lower city which were still present during his The two open spaces constitute significant elements
survey works in 1988 (Figure 6). The relationship with in the temple’s operation. The presence of the outside
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other areas to the south (south Acropolis slope and altar in the main courtyard (Figure 7A: no. 1) indicates
south city) and to the west (city center) is even stronger bringing the blood sacrifice to the outside open spaces, a
through many primary and secondary streets, despite the key development in Syrian temples during the Middle and
topographical constraints (Figure 5). This undoubtedly Late Bronze Age, which is reflected in the building design.
reflects the importance of this temple to the city’s people
The main building, the temple, occupies the northern
and their way of life. Therefore, it can be concluded that part of the complex. It is formed by the juxtaposition
enclosing the temple with high walls was not intended to of two rectangles, where the North Hall (Figure 7A:
separate it from its surroundings; rather, the main aim was no. 9) is double the size of the South Hall (the vestibule).
to ensure privacy and conceal the events (possibly sacred) Considering the width and depth of the foundations, it
taking place in the complex’s main courtyard.
is clear that this building was planned in advance to be a
The enclosure consists of the main temple’s building, two gigantic structure. The foundations, which date back to the
courtyards (Figure 7A: no. 1 and no. 4), and two annexes. 19 century BC as evidenced by archeological analysis, are
th
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Volume 2 Issue 4 (2024) 5 doi: 10.36922/ac.3132