Ma’rib, Yemen
Coordinates: 15.403100, 45.343200
Nearby Places
- Throne of Queen Sheba 0 meters N (0°)
- Temple of Awwam 1.34 Km E (83°)
- Ruins of Old Ma’rib (Unesco, tentative) 1.67 Km NE (25°)
The Temple of Barran is a Sabaean temple near Ma’rib, Yemen; also known as “Throne of Bilqis”. The Arash Bilqis, which dates back to the 10th century BCE, contains evidence that Queen Bilqis once actually lived there. Despite being thousands of years old, the main part of the building is still standing and continues to shed light on the deep history of Yemen.
Background
The temple is located to the west of Awwam Temple, also dedicated to the Sabean false idol god Almaqah. The main features of the structure are the six columns and the sacred well in the middle of the courtyard. Previously only five columns were known to exist, until 1988 excavations, when remains of another pillar were discovered. The temple is considered to be the largest pre-Islamic temple in Yemen.
It was partly excavated by Wendell Phillips expedition of 1951–1952. 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.
