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ANE peeps, I’m excited over this
Found out from my grandfather that farmers and people from older generations in Lebanon use the term ‘Ba’al produce’ ‘Ba’al land’ ‘Ba’al agriculture’
'زراعة بعل، ارض بعل، خضرة بعل'
Below I explain these phrases some more
Found out from my grandfather that farmers and people from older generations in Lebanon use the term ‘Ba’al produce’ ‘Ba’al land’ ‘Ba’al agriculture’'زراعة بعل، ارض بعل، خضرة بعل'
Below I explain these phrases some more
Baal ‘X’ is a term used to this day for agricultural activities relying solely on rainwater, without the need for mechanical irrigation. Many vegetables and greens can grow solely with this method.
I then asked grandpa if he knows what the word ‘Baal’ means. He said he had no idea. “Does it mean rain?” And I explained to jiddo that Baal was the storm god who ‘ruled’ over the ancients that lived in this land and the lands of the region along with other goddesses and gods.
That he was basically in charge of inducing the rain storms to help farmers water their fields. Without praying to him, people would have feared his anger resulting in widespread famine... etc.
I have to say I think his mind was slightly blown away by this info
...
I have to say I think his mind was slightly blown away by this info
...
So many similar stories I encounter of little hints of traditions in Lebanon and its surroundings that seem to extend thousands of years back. Yet there seems to be an academic insistence on separating the ‘Ancient Near East’ from the Modern ‘Middle East’.
Why?
Why?
Would love to hear if people in neighboring countries like Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Iraq...use this/similar term?
Anyone who has encountered it in specific regions in Lebanon?
Jiddo hails from the Western Bekaa’ region. A good friend also confirmed its use around Mount Lebanon.
Anyone who has encountered it in specific regions in Lebanon?
Jiddo hails from the Western Bekaa’ region. A good friend also confirmed its use around Mount Lebanon.
Finally, I am not saying that studies linking ancient/modern Western Asia are non-existence. I have a small book written by American anthropologist Anne Fuller, who visited Buarij, a tiny muslim village in the Lebanese mountains back in the 1930’s, lived there for a year, (...)
(...) and documented their lifestyle, including alot of pagan activities and festivals. ALOT.
That book is titled ‘Buarij, portrait of a Lebanese Muslim Village’. 1961.
That book is titled ‘Buarij, portrait of a Lebanese Muslim Village’. 1961.
Would anyone know if there are similar studies or publications, be they anthropological/ ethnological/ historical/ archaeological?
Would love to scope out just how much topics such as this are addressed in today’s academia.
Would love to scope out just how much topics such as this are addressed in today’s academia.
Yes! Baal is (more or less) the canaanite equivalent of Syrian/Mesopotamin Hadad, Hurrian/Hittite Tešup, and they all are deemed ‘storm gods’ carrying an ax in one hand and in some instances a lightening bolt in the other. (1)
https://twitter.com/simon0marner/status/1275491822270320641?s=21 https://twitter.com/Simon0Marner/status/1275491822270320641
https://twitter.com/simon0marner/status/1275491822270320641?s=21 https://twitter.com/Simon0Marner/status/1275491822270320641
Baal was linked to fertility (fertile lands, fertile crops.. etc) and thus was crowned as ‘lord’ ‘Prince’ ‘lord of the Earth’... etc.
@Simon0Marner
@Simon0Marner
