account at the present day, without drawing greatly on the imagination,
are their shrines, their temples, the walls of their towns, and, above
all, their tombs. Recent researches in Phoenicia Proper, in Cyprus,
Sicily, Africa, and the smaller Mediterranean islands, have brought
to light numerous remains previously unknown; the few previously known
remains have been carefully examined, measured, and in some cases
photographed; and the results have been made accessible to the student
in numerous well-illustrated publications. When Movers and Kenrick
published their valuable works on the history of Phoenicia, and
the general characteristics of the Phoenician people, it was
quite impossible to do more than form conjectures concerning their
architecture from a few coins, and a few descriptions in ancient
writers. It is now a matter of comparatively little difficulty to set
before the public descriptions and representations which, if they still
leave something to be desired in the way of completeness, are
accurate, so far as they go, and will give a tolerably fair idea of the
architectural genius of the people.

One very complete and two ruined shrines have been found in Phoenicia
Proper, in positions and of a character which, in the judgment of the
best antiquaries, mark them as the work of the ancient people. All
these are situated on the mainland, near the site of Marathus, which lay
nearly opposite the island of Ruad, the ancient Aradus. The shrine
which is complete, or almost complete, bears the name of "the Maabed" or
"Temple." Its central position, in the middle of an excavated court,
and its mixed construction, partly of native rock and partly of quarried
stone, have been already described. It remains to give an account of the
shrine or tabernacle itself.[615] This is emplaced upon the mass of rock
left to receive it midway in the court, and is a sort of cell, closed
in on three sides by walls, and open on one side, towards the north.