The Barran Temple (Arabic: معبد بران) is a Sabaean temple near Marib, Yemen; also known as the "Throne of Bilqis", it dates back to the 10th century BCE[1] and was dedicated to the god al-Maqah.

Temple of Barran
عرش بلقيس
Barran Temple in 2021
Barran Temple is located in Yemen
Barran Temple
Shown within Yemen
LocationMarib Governorate, Yemen
Coordinates15°24′12″N 45°20′35″E / 15.403227°N 45.343112°E / 15.403227; 45.343112
History
PeriodsAncient Yemen
Site notes
Excavation dates1951–2, 1988
ArchaeologistsWendell Phillips
Part ofLandmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib
CriteriaCultural: (iii), (iv)
Reference1700
Inscription2023 (45th Session)
Endangered2023–...
Barran Temple in Marib governorate, 2017.

In 2023, along with other landmarks of the ancient Kingdom of Saba, the temple was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.[2]

Background

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The temple is located to the west of the Temple of Awwam, also dedicated to the god Almaqah.[3] The main features of the structure are the six columns and the sacred well in the middle of the courtyard.[4] Until the 1988 excavations only five columns were known to exist, when remains of another were discovered.[5] The temple is considered to be the largest pre-Islamic temple in Yemen.[5]

It was partly excavated by Wendell Phillips' expedition of 1951–1952.[6][7] In addition to its religious functions the complex may have also served as a documentation center, as the inscriptions describing the events surrounding the Sabaean state were found on the walls.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Barran Temple". madainproject.com. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Landmarks of Ancient Kingdom of Saba added to UNESCO's World Heritage List". Marib Governorate. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  3. ^ "معبد برَّان.. هنا عاشت بلقيس سبأ". Culture and art. Al Jazeera. 24 March 2014.
  4. ^ "The Throne of Queen Bilquis". National Yemen. Ancient History Comes Alive. 11 September 2014.
  5. ^ a b c "Barran Temple". Madain Project. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Yemen Tourism". Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Arsh Bilqis" بـلـقـيـس [Throne of Queen Bilquis] (pdf). Yemen Tourism Promotion Board. Barran Temple (in Arabic and English). Republic of Yemen: Ministry of Tourism. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2018.