Temple of Allat in Palmyra, Syria

Michał Gawlikowski. Le Sanctuaire d’Allat à Palmyre. PAM Monograph Series 8. Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University Of Warsaw, 2017

"The sanctuary of Allat is situated in the western part of the ruins of ancient Palmyra, within the later rampart of what is known as Diocletian’s Camp. … The sanctuary existed for at least 450 years. 

ALLAT I  The original shrine founded by Mattanai b. Qainu in the mid-1st century BC [Inscription 12]. It survived for more than 300 years. 

ALLAT II Collective designation embracing diverse structures in the temenos around the primitive shrine, mainly the porticoes around the rectangular courtyard; dated to the 1st century AD and the first half of the 2nd century.

ALLAT III The temple built about the mid-2nd century by the curator Taimarṣu to enclose the old shrine. The same Taimarṣu offered the standing gate of the sanctuary [Inscriptions 1–2].

ALLAT IV An impoverished version of the temple rebuilt shortly after destruction of the original shrine by the Roman troops of Aurelian. It survived into the 380s, when it was finally sacked by Christians in the reign of Theodosius.

ALLAT V A mansion founded in the courtyard, on top of the ruined structures, probably as a residence of the legionary commander. The site of the temple itself was left waste.

ALLAT VI Rebuilding of the mansion after destruction; some new enclosures in the Islamic period."

You can see that she is lion-throned, like Atargatis of Syria, Kybele of Phrygia (Anatolia), and Ashtart of the Phoenicians (and the Hebrews as well, once upon a time.) She carries a sceptre and holds a pomegranate (probably) and wears the polos headdress seen over much of SW Asia.

Allat with distaff on lion throne. Terracotta medallion, 5 cm. Palmyra Museum.

Allat with sceptre, statue from the inner shrine (naos)

Reconstructon of Allat in her inner sanctum, holding a flowering sceptre and flanked by lions. Around her a course of oak leaves and grapes.

Reconstruction of the khamana (inner sanctum) within the temple of Allat, in its oldest Asiatic form.

The later Hellenized form of the Temple in the early centuries CE

Eye merlon, possibly from above hamana door, as depicted in the reconstruction of the earlier Asiatic temple

Inscription in Temple of Allat, Palmyra: May Allat Bless He Who Does Not Spill Blood in the Sanctuary

Statue of Allat from the cella of her temple in Palmyra. Part of her sceptre is visible. Below, a bas-relief of the goddess enthroned.

The freestanding inscribed "Column of Shalamallat" next to a portico.

The sheer scale of the temple complex, even in ruins.

Bronze hand found in Allat shrine V.

Overview showing enclosure of the old Asiatic stepped mountain tipped shrine within a later Hellenistic enclosure

This relief showing a procession of veiled women is not a one-off. There is another one, also from Palmyra, but i think from another temple.

One of the older reliefs showing the/a goddess wearing polos headdress

Another reconstruction showing how the Antonine enclosure was built around and above the original cella

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