180 herbert niehr
remains of orthostats with lion representations, a basalt stele depicting a
scene of a meal, an aniconic stele, and various fragments of bowls.
Four large blocks of basalt with hieroglyphic-luwian dedicatory inscrip-
tions provide further evidence for temples and sanctuaries in hamath.
these inscriptions mention, among others, the goddess pahalatis’ temple
(haMa 4) and that of the weather-god tarḫunt (haMa 5).261
of particular interest are the polished red bricks with aramaic inscrip-
tions containing predominantly personal names. they have been dated to
the 8th century B.c., i.e., before the fall of hamath in 720 B.c.262 outside
the main entrance to building iii were two 30-cm-high pedestals, whose
surface was made up of these inscribed bricks. ten bricks were found on
the northern pedestal, two of which were inscribed, and six bricks were
found on the southern pedestal, three of which were inscribed. another
three bricks were found in the immediate vicinity and probably belonged
to this structure. the writing style of the inscriptions indicates that they
were written mostly by uneducated persons. researchers assume these
inscriptions fulfilled a religious function as pleas, votive inscriptions, or
commemorative texts.263
three other buildings on the citadel of hamath are also referred to as
temples or sanctuaries. one is a small building north of building iii, in
which aramaic graffiti were found on the floor. another is an open-air
sanctuary between buildings ii and iV, where three bricks with aramaic
inscriptions were found.264
Beneath the mosque west of the citadel are the remains of a roman
temple and a christian church. this situation is similar to the one in the
area of the Umayyad mosques of Damascus and aleppo. the dedication
of the roman temple is unknown.
excavations in tell afis, the citadel of hazrak, uncovered a temple and
a ceremonial courtyard used for cultic functions in the 8th century B.c.265
the courtyard spans 15 × 15 m, while only 2-m-thick brick walls remain
261 text and translation in hawkins 2000: 403–407.
262 cf. on the inscriptions and their find spots riis 1978–1980; otzen 1988; id. 1990.
263 For a different view, cf. lipiński 2000a: 266–280, who argues against a religious
character and for texts concerning deliveries. such an interpretation poses the question
whether the find situation was appropriately considered.
264 Ussishkin 1966b designates building iV as a temple because of its structural similar-
ity to the temples of tell tayinat and Jerusalem. Differently, Werner 1994: 81 and Matthiae
2008: 208.
265 cf. Mazzoni 2008: 24–29; ead. 2010; ead. 2012; soldi 2009: 105–108.