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Aaiha عيحا | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 | |
| Country |  Lebanon |
| Governorate | Beqaa Governorate |
| District | Rashaya District |
 A concrete mixer laying concrete on the central hill of the Aaiha plain, remains of stone walls behind | |
  Shown within Lebanon | |
| Location | 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) northeast ofRashaya |
|---|---|
| Region | Bekaa Valley |
| Coordinates | 33°29′59″N35°52′24″E / 33.49972°N 35.87333°E /33.49972; 35.87333 |
| History | |
| Cultures | Roman,Greek |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Public access | Yes |
Aaiha (orAiha) (Arabic:عيحا) is avillage,plain,lake, and temporarywetland situated in theRashaya District and south of theBeqaa Governorate inLebanon.[1][2] It is located in an intermontane basin nearMount Hermon and theSyrian border, approximately halfway betweenRashaya andKfar Qouq.[3]
The village sits c. 3,750 feet (1,140 m) above sea level and the small population is predominantlyDruze.[3][4] WildwheatsTriticum boeoticum andT. urartu grow in this area, also used for farminggoats.[5][6] There is a nearbytomb of aMuslim saint and aRoman ruins thought to be atemple orcitadel that is now totally destroyed[3][7][8][9]
The village is situated on a ridge next toAaiha plain, anintermittent lake that forms a near perfect circular shape, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) indiameter and enclosed bymountains and the ridge on the west.[3][10] The plain is completely level with no particularly visible outlet for water, which occasionally floods the basin to a depth of several feet to form a lake. The creation of the lake is assisted byfountains that well up through a largechasm in the northwest and a smallerfissure in the southeast. It has also been noted that when the waters subside, they drain down these fissures. Investigativepotholers have claimed a permanent stream flows underneath these fissures.[citation needed]
The smaller southeastern fissure was investigated and found to be 15 feet (4.6 m) in diameter, 8 feet (2.4 m) to 10 feet (3.0 m) deep with no sign of water at the bottom. Robinson did not record any investigation of the larger one to the northwest of the plain, which was not flooded at the time, during thesummer.[3] The villagers suggest the underground stream leads to and is the original source andfountain of theHasbani river, the most northern source of theJordan River. This is notably similar to that described in the tale of"The Chaff of Phiala" inThe Jewish War byFlavius Josephus.[3] Josephus tells a geographically inaccurate tale of acavern in an ancient place calledPhiala orPhiale (modernBirkat Ram), discovered to be the initial source of the Jordan byPhilip the Tetrarch ofTrachonitis.[11] He threwchaff into Phiala and found it was carried by the waters toPanium (modernBanias), previously thought to be the origin of the Jordan river.[12] Josephus writes:
Now Panium is thought to be the fountain of the Jordan, but in reality it is carried thither after an occult manner from the place calledPhiala : This place lies as you go up to Trachonitis, and is an hundred and twenty furlongs from Caesarea, and is not far out of the road on the right hand; and indeed it hath its name of Phiala (vial or bowl) very justly, from the roundness of its circumference, as being round like a wheel; its water continues always up to its edges, without either sinking or running over. And as this origin of the Jordan was formerly not known, it was discovered so to be when Philip was Tetrarch of Trachonitis; for he had chaff thrown into Phiala, and it was found at Panium where the ancients thought the fountain head of the river was, whither it had been therefore carried (by the waters).[12]
Edward Robinson commented that this story would appear still current in respect to this chasm and underground stream leading to the Hasbani.[3] Someneolithicflints have been recovered in this area, in the hills 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north of Rashaya.[13]
Edward Robinson andEli Smith visited in 1852 and noted a massiveRoman temple had once been located near the village that has been grouped by George Taylor amongst theTemples of Mount Hermon.[14]
Robinson suggested the temple was bigger thanNebi Safa and spoke of it having been constructed of stones that were"tolerably large, well hewn, but not bevelled". Fragments ofarchitrave, mouldings and blocks from the temple had been re-used by the villagers making their homes and farmsteads and had been left lying all over the fields, covered inrubbish.[3][15]
Sir Charles Warren also later visited and documented the area as part of anarchaeological survey in 1869. He noted a longwall leading off into the east away from the village and temple. He also noted somevaults and rock-cut features and took a copy of anAncient Greek inscription from one of the blocks.[16]
The temple was completed in 92AD but only the western part remained when visited, located on the top of a hill overlooking the plain.[17]
The temple was constructed of bluelimestone with an entrance opening facing east and a sideways bearing of 78°30'. The base of the temples was described asAttic and was positioned on top of an 18 inches (0.46 m)socle. There were four courses of stones layered above a 5.7 feet (1.7 m) high,cornicedstylobate, measuring 18 inches (0.46 m), 2.2 feet (0.67 m), 2.3 feet (0.70 m) and 2.2 feet (0.67 m). Houses and astable were built over the temple. Robinson also found aCorinthianfrieze and judged the style of many of the blocks to be Corinthian in appearance. A stone with aGreek inscription was found built into the western wall. The structure measures 37.6 feet (11.5 m) wide by at least 47.15 feet (14.37 m) long with an entrance to vaults underneath. A column found nearby measured 3.2 feet (0.98 m) in diameter.[18]
Thewhite-eyed pochard was noted at the Aaiha lake (then called theRashaya lake) by Nevins in 1955, but not in 1956 as the lake had reverted to being a plain that year. The duck is thought to have been driven off by frequent shooting. Nevins also noted theEurasian teal as a resident in thewinter, when the lake was present and the waters hadn't drained down the chasm to theHasbani.[19]
Capital:Rashaya | ||
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