Baalbek, Lebanon. Late Antique to Early Islamic Buildings in the Area of Bustan Nassif. Research from 2019 to 2023

Abstract

Excavations near the medieval city gate in an area known as Bustan Nassif have yielded important new insights into the Late Antique and Islamic settlement of Baal­bek. Test excavations have enabled previously disparate structures to be assigned to different phases of construction. These buildings can be attributed to the secular part of the city. Mosaics unearthed in the lowermost layers testify to a Late Antique residential building that was overbuilt by an Early Islamic building. In the Early Isla­mic period, a new spatial concept was introduced around a collonaded courtyard, reusing parts of the old walls. The numerous finds from the Late Antique and Early Islamic periods also provide frequent insights into the lives of the inhabitants of these buildings.