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Arts & Communication Culture as a drive for art and architecture

dimensions in the lives of Ugaritic people during the Late part of this unit (Figure 10: no. 52, no. 77, and no. 78)
Bronze Age period. and the first floor (if it existed) provided residence for the
This building is considered exceptional for several keepers. The northern industrial unit was used by these
reasons. First, its access from the street is totally different residents for financial purposes. The direct relationship
from all surrounding houses. It features a portico (Figure 10: with the sanctuary’s entrance, its structure as a separate
no. 46) that was most probably roofed and equipped with unit, and its construction during the second phase of the
two timber columns, a common feature in Ugarit. Second, building after 1250 BC all confirm that this industrial unit
in addition to the portico, the sanctuary has an indirect was another architectural and economic development
access consisting of two doors and a U-shape turn in within the complex. Thus, this local sanctuary was not an
space no. 45 (Figure 10). This access system is unique and autonomous unit within its urban fabric. It established
not found in any other houses. Finally, the central hall’s strong relationships with the surrounding architectural
(Figure 10: no. 36) location, size, and relationship to the fabric as well as with the social and economic life of the
surrounding fabric strongly point out a special use of this people. These aspects were further developed in the newly
building. built local sanctuary in the city, the New Sanctuary at the
old royal area, where people had more freedom to present
The building was always used for cultic and social their new principles.
purposes; the study of its stratification and the discovered
elements in the main hall confirmed this. A very interesting 2.2.2. The new sanctuary
arrangement of a stepped altar and two sets of stone This New Sanctuary was excavated between 1937 and
(Figure 10: no. 37 and no. 88 benches) were found in the 1950 in conjunction with the royal area and again in
31
central hall (Figure 10: no. 36). It is also believed that the 1970 alongside the North Palace. 32-34 The analysis of this
stone benches might have supported a timber platform building has significantly contributed to the understanding
above, which accommodated specific offerings and statues. of architectural, urban, cultural, and historical aspects
However, no physical evidence supports this assumption. of the city, primarily through the analysis by Olivier
Callot noted that stone set 88 (Figure 10) is located 1 m Callot, who was able to better date the earthquake of
from the western wall, which was most probably meant to the 13 century BC. 25,35 This building also reveals an
th
hold a timber platform and its supporting columns. 25,27 interesting stratification with the North Palace, shedding
A set of small rooms (Figure 10: no. 47, no. 65, no. 49, light on the development of the city and the attitudes of its
and no. 66) are attached to the main hall; they most people (Figure 11A). The New Sanctuary can be divided
probably served as annexes and storage for offerings, as into three main sections: the residential unit, the main hall,
Jacques-Claude Courtois assumed after comparing them and the new annex to the east (Figure 11B). The presence
with the Temple of the Ingot god at Enkomi, Cyprus. 21,29,30 of the main hall encourages the thinking of the building’s
The presence of water ducts and drainage in the main hall special use as a place of worship. In the 1990s, Callot, and
and annex supports the interpretation of a public religious later Yon, in 1997, assigned a religious function to this
function for this building. The presence of the stepped altar, building; both scholars supported their interpretation
8,36
centrally located against the eastern wall of space no. 36 with further architectural and archeological evidence. 32
(Figure 10), further confirms the religious function of this Through intensive analysis, the remains of this building
hall. Analysis of the altar revealed that it consists of four show horizontal and vertical evolutionary aspects that
steps, though only three of them were visible during the highlight its historical phases. The foundations of the
building’s final phase. The final step is of a higher quality western part date back to the 16 or 15 century BC;
37
th
th
and more regular in construction compared to the three however, the upper part is represented by the walls of
steps below. It is likely that the deity’s stele or statue was a new residential unit (Figure 11A and 11B: no. 1–7),
placed on this stone. which was built after the earthquake in 1250 BC on top
The eastern residential unit is well-attached to the main of the old foundations, following a similar arrangement
hall and also has its own access from the street no. 120 (Figure 12A and 12B). A new structure was added to the
to the east. This unit was probably used to support the east, which included the main hall and an annex with a
sanctuary’s functions during large social or cultic events. staircase (Figure 11A and 11B: no. 8 and no. 9). The
The courtyard and two rooms to the east (Figure 10: no. 79, difference in foundation levels between the eastern and
no. 80, no. 81) served as an alternative reception area for western parts is clearly visible at the main entrance B from
people while another cultic event was taking place in the the Palace Street (Figure 12C), where the jambs are clearly
main hall of the sanctuary. In the meantime, the western based on different foundations from an earlier period.

Volume 2 Issue 4 (2024) 10 doi: 10.36922/ac.3132