Ain Harcha

Ain Harcha
	Shown within Lebanon
Alternative name	Ain Hircha
Location	south of Dahr El Ahmar
Region	Bekaa Valley
Coordinates	33°27′23″N35°47′02″E / 33.456389°N 35.783889°E
History
Cultures	Roman
Site notes
Condition	Ruins
Public access	Yes

Ain Harcha
عين حرشة
Ain Harcha عين حرشة
Village
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	Beqaa Governorate
District	Rashaya District
Elevation	3,900 ft (1,200 m)

Last updated June 11, 2024

Ain Harcha (or Ain Hircha) is a village situated in the Rashaya District and south of the Beqaa Governorate in Lebanon. It is located east of Mount Hermon close to the Syrian border south of Dahr El Ahmar.^[1] The village is home to a Roman temple.

The village sits ca. 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above sea level and the name is claimed in Aramaic to mean "house of spirits" or "place of worship" with some seeing this as derived from "the feast of sorceries" due to local folklore suggesting an evil spirit of Ain Al-Horsh inhabits the springs of Lebanon.^[2]

History

In 1838, Eli Smith noted 'Ain Harshy's population as being Druze and Christians.^[3]

Roman temple

2 kilometres (2,000 m) (about a forty-minute walk) along a rocky path, on a ridge-top to the west, 525 metres (1,722 ft) higher than the village sits one of the best examples of a Roman temple in the vicinity of Mount Hermon.^[4] The temple of Ain Harcha can also be reached by walking down from the village of Ain Ata. It was restored in 1938-1939 and dates, based on a Greek inscription on one of the blocks, to 114-115 AD. The temple is built of limestone, opens to the east and blends in with the landscape. The pediment and west wall are in particularly good condition and two columns bases show what supported the beams and roof. Carved blocks show busts of Selene, the moon goddess and Helios, the sun god.^[5] Around the site are remnants of ancient habitations and tombs.

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References

↑ Anīs Furaiḥa (1972). dictionary of the name of towns and villages in Lebanon. Maktabat Lubnān.
↑ Qada' (Caza) Rachaya - Promenade Tourist Brochure, published by The Lebanese Ministry of Tourism Archived 13 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
↑ Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, 2nd appendix, p. 138
↑ Robert Boulanger (1955). Lebanon, p. 205. Hachette.
↑ George Taylor (1969). The Roman temples of Lebanon: a pictorial guide, p. 30, 75, 105. Argonaut.

Bibliography

Robinson, E.; Smith, E. (1841). Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea: A Journal of Travels in the year 1838. Vol. 3. Boston: Crocker & Brewster.

External links

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[Furaiḥa1972-1] Anīs Furaiḥa (1972). dictionary of the name of towns and villages in Lebanon. Maktabat Lubnān.

[2] Qada' (Caza) Rachaya - Promenade Tourist Brochure, published by The Lebanese Ministry of Tourism Archived 13 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine

[3] Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, 2nd appendix, p. 138

[Boulanger1955-4] Robert Boulanger (1955). Lebanon, p. 205. Hachette.

[Taylor1969-5] George Taylor (1969). The Roman temples of Lebanon: a pictorial guide, p. 30, 75, 105. Argonaut.

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v t e Rashaya District, Beqaa Governorate
Capital: Rashaya
Towns and villages	Ain Arab Ain Ata Ain Harcha Akabeh Ayha Ayta el Fekhar Bakifa Bakka Beit Lahia Bireh Daher el Ahmar Deir El Aachayer Helwah Hoch Kaukaba Kfar Danis Kfarfouk Kfarmechki (including Nebi Safa) Kherbet Rouha Majdel Balhiss Mdoukha Mhaydseh Rashaya Al-Rafid Tannoura Yanta
Other	Aach ed Djâjé Khirbet El-Knese Tell Ain el Meten

v t e Roman archaeological sites in Lebanon
Roman Berytus (actual Beirut)	Berytus ¹ Roman Forum of Berytus Berytus Roman Baths Cisterns of Berytus Baths Berytus Cardo Decumanus Berytus Colonnaded street Byzantine mosaics Roman hippodrome of Berytus Roman Law school of Berytus
Roman Phoenicia (actual Lebanon)	Heliopolis Temple of Bacchus Temple of Jupiter (Baalbek) Temples of Mount Hermon Temples of the Beqaa Valley Aaqbe temple Afqa Ain Aata temple Ain Harcha roman temple Amioun Monastery Arca Caesarea Augusti Pagus Bakka temple Batroumine Bziza temple Canalizations of Zenobia Dakoue temple Mansourieh Roman aqueduct Hebbariye temple Iaat column Kafr Zabad temples Khirbet El-Knese roman temples Labweh Roman temple Libbaya roman temple Monastery of Qozhaya Monastery of Saint Maron Nahle roman temple Nebi Safa temple Niha Hosn Niha Qalaat Faqra Qal'at Bustra temple Castra Chbib Castra El Banat Saraain El Faouqa Schleem roman temple Colonia Aurelia Pia "Sidon" Temnin el-Foka nymphaeum Tripolis in Phoenicia Tyrus ¹ Tyre Necropolis Roman temple to Venus in Yammoune
Related	Roman Lebanon Phoenice (Roman province) Palaestina Secunda Phoenice Libanensis Stone of the Pregnant Woman Ulpianus Marcus Valerius Probus Eudokia of Heliopolis Saint Barbara of Heliopolis Coele-Syria List of Christian cathedrals in Lebanon Christianity in Lebanon Catholic Church in Lebanon Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral 2nd century in Lebanon 3rd century in Lebanon 4th century in Lebanon 5th century in Lebanon 6th century in Lebanon 551 Beirut earthquake
¹ UNESCO World Heritage Sites ² Proposed Category:Roman sites in Lebanon