TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION H. 827 



7. The Senams, or Megcdithic TeTnples of Tarhuna, Tripoli. 

 By H. SwAiNSON CowPEB, F.S.A. 



This remarkable series of sites, which hitherto has been practically unknown, 

 formed the sole object of the author's short journey in March. In all, nearly sixty 

 sites were visited, and photographs of them taken. The largest number were 

 found on a green plateau in the Tarhuna hills, but others exist in the surrounding- 

 wadis. In some places, indeed, they are so numerous that there are few hill-tops 

 which do not bear traces of one of these temples, so that the author had to content 

 himself with an examination of those which seemed most important. In most 

 cases were found large rectangular enclosures of excellent masonry, though 

 generally very ruinous, and often subdivided by lines of short square columns, 

 occasionally surmounted by rudely designed but excellently worked capitals. 

 "Within the enclosure walls, or in line with them, were always to be found lar^e 

 Megalithic structures resembling the Stonehenge trilithons, but the jambs of which 

 are often formed of two or three stones instead of one. These (the Senams proper) 

 are carefully dressed on the side facing the enclosure, and in the jambs are singular 

 square perforations and angle-cut holes, which appear to have been formed to sup- 

 port wooden structures. 



The Senams rest on footing stones, and vary in height from G to 15 feet ; but 

 the average width between the jambs is only IQh inches. In front of some 

 were found massive stone altars, carefully grooved, and flush with the ground. A 

 few sculptures, the subjects of which are Phallic and show Roman influence, were 

 also noticed, in one case a Senam itself being thus ornamented. There is, indeed, 

 much evidence to show that the Ilomans occupied and utilised these sites without 

 knocking down the Senams or destroying the form of worship. Roman work is 

 mixed up in nearly every case with the work of the Senam builders. 



A feature worth notice is the existence of carpentry forms, which would point 

 to the district having at one time been densely timbered ; and to the destruction 

 of these woods (probably by the Arabs) is no doubt due the waterless and poverty- 

 stricken condition of the country at this day. It is to be noticed, that if we 

 except the Stonehenge trilithons, there appear to be no other Megalithic remains, 

 even in Mediterranean countries, with which we can compare the Tripoli series or 

 which show an equal mastery in the art of masonry. 



In most cases the Senams appear to have stood free in their enclosures, and 

 were no doubt symbolical and connected with rites of some sort. It is remarkable 

 that many Babylonian seals show a figure exactly like a Senam placed in the rear 

 of an altar before which stands an adoring priest. It seems possible indeed that in 

 the Senams we have symbolic efiigies akin to the ' Asherah ' so often alluded to in 

 the Old Testament, and which was worshipped in connection with Molech and 

 Baal. 



Asherah, the symbol of the goddess of fertility, would probably take some 

 such form, and from such a worship sprang no doubt the widely spread customs of 

 squeezing between columns and stones to cure diseases. Further evidence in 

 favour of these being temples of a form of Baal worship may be found in their 

 situations, always on hill-tops, essentially ' high places,' and possibly also in the 

 character of the carvings. 



8. Rejwrt on the Kitchen Midden at Hastings. — See Reports, p. 500 



SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14. 

 The following Reports and Papers were read : — 

 1. Report on the North-Western Tribes of Canada. — See Reports, p. 522. 



