Project

The storm god is an ancient divinity that manifested itself in awe-inspiring thunderstorms and was important for agriculture. The god was venerated in many places in the Near East under different names, and the rock outcrop on which the Citadel of Aleppo was later founded presented an ideal location for a sanctuary. (...)

The storm god is an ancient divinity that manifested itself in awe-inspiring thunderstorms and was important for agriculture. The god was venerated in many places in the Near East under different names, and the rock outcrop on which the Citadel of Aleppo was later founded presented an ideal location for a sanctuary. Lost under the Islamic settlement and forgotten over the centuries, it wasn’t until 1996 that excavations by Syrian and German archaeologists started to slowly uncover parts of the massive temple. The oldest remains of the structure date to the Early Bronze Age (3300-2200 B.C.). Among the most important finds of the excavation were Late Bronze Age reliefs carved out of basalt that depict various religious scenes. In one series, the storm god is shown climbing into a bull-drawn chariot, surrounded by an entourage of other divinities and mythical creatures. These reliefs have offered valuable information into the ancient religious traditions of the region. It is thought that elements of the worship of the storm god persisted into Late Antiquity, in the form of the worship of Zeus that followed the conquest of Syria by Alexander the Great.