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Cultural heritage |
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The Historic Significance
of the Cedars of Lebanon
The Cedars of Lebanon have an almost magical place in history, not just
in the history of Lebanon, but of a number of neighboring countries and
conquering empires.
The cedar forests of Lebanon enjoy the unique distinction as the oldest
documented forests in history. The cedars were important enough in the
history of man to be traceable to the very earliest written records,
that of the Sumerians in the third millennium BC. In the ancient
Sumerian story, "The Epic of Gilgamesh", one of the oldest pieces of
literature in the world, the Cedars feature prominently. Gilgamesh has
since been recognized as King Gilgamesh of history and in probability
visited Mount Lebanon.
It was the Phoenicians along the coast of present-day Lebanon and from
such ancient cities as Byblos, Tyre and Sidon who became the principal
dealers in the timber of the cedar. Indeed, the cedars made a special
contribution to the development of the Phoenician civilization by
providing the timbers with which they developed their famous sea-going
merchant boats thus becoming one of the first, if not the first major
sea-going trading nation in the world.
The Phoenicians traded the cedar to Egypt, until Egypt in turn conquered
the land of the cedars and gained direct access to the forests, which
were highly prized in the building of temples and boats. Later the
Babylonians took a similar interest in the cedars and obtained them for
use in building the fabled city of Babylon.
People around the world know of the cedars of Lebanon because of the
numerous references in the Hebrew texts of the Old Testament. The Bible
records in some detail how King Solomon, King of Israel, requested of
King Hiram of Tyre to supply cedar and to build a temple and a palace in
Jerusalem.
In the 6th Century BC, Persian control of the Phoenician ports provided
the Persians with the means of assembling a navy for use against their
enemies the Greeks who were already embarrassing the Persians with their
mobility in the Mediterranean as they leased and copied the Phoenician
triremes.
The expansion of the Roman Empire into Syria and Lebanon had its
detrimental effect on the cedars until the Emperor Hadrian installed the
markers around the boundary of the remaining forests and declared them
as Imperial Domain. Specimens of these markers have been preserved and
held in museum collections.
The Ottoman Turks deforested all of the cedar growing areas within easy
transport distance of their Hijaz railway to provide fuel for their
wood-burning engines. Only the highest and most remote groves escaped
damage.
In the modern day Lebanon the legendary cedar is still revered and
remains prominent in the minds of all Lebanese. The cedar features on
the national flag, the national airline, Government logos, the Lebanese
currency and innumerable commercial logos. It is the feature of books,
poetry, post cards, posters and art. The Cedars of Lebanon are truly an
important part of the cultural heritage of the people of Lebanon.
Historic Cultural Sites
The setting of the Shouf is a nexus of many cultures, religions, and
historical events, all of which have left an imprint which makes the
area's cultural heritage as rich as its ecosystems. The following are
some major landmarks:
Qalaat Niha
The cave castle of Tyron Niha relates to one of the closing episodes of
Prince Fakhreddin II's epic history and are the only remaining vestiges
of a once powerful fortress which was successively used by the Arabs,
Crusaders, and a number of princes of Mount Lebanon.
El Nabi Ayoub
A feretory was built on the hill above the village of Niha to honor
Job's memory and hold his relics. Ayoub is the Arabic name of the
prophet Job.
Qab Elias Castle
This once powerful Druze fortress served as a guardian outpost
controlling the road that linked Beirut to Damascus, and a marching post
for the Druze and Chehab rulers of the South Bekaa or Wadi Taym.
Mazar El Sit Cha'wane
El Sit Cha'wane is a famous figure in the Druze religion. Like Job in
the Old Testament, she was held up as a model of virtue and devotion. A
feretory was erected in her name.
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