One of the palaces is described as having been the residence of the
king, the other a castle. Unfortunately they are so fallen to
decay, that they afford no means of forming a satisfactory opinion
even to antiquarians. It is supposed, however, that the ruins
called Mujellibe are the remains of the castle. Another large heap
of ruins is situated about a mile distant, called El Kasir.
According to some, the temple of Baal stood here, according to
others the royal palace. Massive fragments of walls and columns are
still to be seen, and in a hollow a lion in dark grey granite, of
such a size that at some distance I took it for an elephant. It is
very much damaged, and, to judge from what remains, does not appear
to have been the work of a great artist.
The mortar is of extraordinary hardness; it is easier to break the
bricks themselves, than to separate them from it. The bricks of all
the ruins are partly yellow and partly red, a foot long, nearly as
broad, and half an inch thick.
In the ruins El Kasir stands a solitary tree, which belongs to a
species of firs which is quite unknown in this district.
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