Archaeology & History

Mysterious Palmyra 'lord of the universe' deity identified

By T.K. Randall
July 13, 2022 ·  5 comments

The ruins of Palmyra as they appear today. Image Credit: PD - Erik Albers Situated in modern day Syria, the ancient city - which served as a center for trade and flourished during the time of the Roman Empire around 2,000 years ago - has long been of interest to archaeologists.

One of its most enduring mysteries has been the identity of an unknown deity referenced in various inscriptions and referred to as "he whose name is blessed forever" or "lord of the universe".

Now though, the mystery may have finally been solved thanks to the work of Aleksandra Kubiak-Schneider - a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wroclaw in Poland.By comparing the inscriptions with those found in ancient Mesopotamia, she was able to determine that the deity being referenced is most likely not a single god but several.

These multiple deities, which included Bel-Marduk and Baalshamin, were referenced collectively but not directly as a sign of respect by the people of the time.

According to Kubiak-Schneider, those who wrote the inscriptions may have been reaching out - not to a specific god - but to any who would listen to their prayers.

"There was no one anonymous god, every god who listened and showed favor to requests deserved an eternal praise," she told Live Science.

Source: Live Science | Comments (5)

Tags: Palmyra