The Enigmatic Ain Dara Temple and the Giant Footsteps of the Gods

Ain Dara is a small village in the northwest of Aleppo, Syria, which, until 2018, boasted a remarkable structure – the Ain Dara Temple, located just west of the village. The temple was discovered in 1955, when a colossal basalt lion was found, quite accidentally, in fact. Following this find, excavations were carried out in subsequent years. Sadly, in 2018, the whole remarkable structure was reduced to ruble by a Turkish airstrike.

This temple, believed to have been constructed during the Early Iron Age, boasted distinctive features such as its grand courtyard, elaborate basalt reliefs, and enigmatic carved footprints on its stone floor. With its monumental staircase and intricate layout, the temple bore striking resemblances to biblical descriptions of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, hinting at a broader cultural tradition that characterized the region during this period. Through its architectural magnificence and cultural significance, the Ain Dara Temple offered a captivating glimpse into the rich tapestry of ancient Near Eastern civilizations.

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Ain Dara Temple: A Testament to Syro-Hittite Influence

The Ain Dara Temple was an Iron Age Syro-Hittite temple. The Syro-Hittites or Neo-Hittites were a group of political entities that emerged towards the end of the 2nd millennium BC. Following the collapse of the Hittite Empire, there was a power vacuum in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Syro-Hittite states filled this vacuum and became the dominant power in the region until their conquest by the Neo-Assyrian Empire at the end of the 8th century BC.

Although the Syro-Hittites are today distinguished from the Hittites, the former probably did not see themselves as different from their predecessors. This can be supported by the epigraphic evidence and the cultural continuity of the region. For instance, the styles of temples built during the Late Bronze Age continued into the Early Iron Age. One of these temples, believed to have been built during the Early Iron Age, was the Ain Dara Temple. 

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Ain Dara Temple before the Turkish bombing destroyed it in early 2018. (Bertramz/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Majestic Architecture: Temple Layout and Dimensions

To enter the temple, one would first have to go through a courtyard built with sandstones and paved with flagstones. A chalkstone basin, perhaps for ceremonial purposes is seen there. The temple, measuring 30 x 30 meters (98.42ft) and facing southeast, stood on a 76.2 centimeters (2.5 ft) high platform made of rubble and limestone and was lined with basalt blocks engraved with lions, sphinxes and other mythic creatures. A monumental staircase, flanked on each side by a sphinx and two lions, led up to the temple portico.

Ancient statue of a lion at Ain Dara, Syria. (Materialscientist/CC BY 2.0)

After the portico, one would reach the middle room, which measured 6 x 15.5m (19.68 x 50.85ft), followed by the main hall, which was 16 x 16m (52.49 ft) in size. At the end of this hall was the inner room/sanctum. The cult statue was probably housed in a niche in the back wall of the sanctum.   The building was once covered with rows of basalt reliefs of sphinxes, lions, mountain gods and large clawed creatures whose feet alone remain.

Symbolism and Purpose: The Significance of the Footprints

One of the interesting features of the Ain Dara Temple was the footprints carved into the stone floor of the temple. One pair of footprints can be found on the floor of the portico, followed by a single footprint, and another single footprint at the threshold of the main hall. The distance between the two single footprints is about 30 feet (9.14). A stride of 30 feet would belong to a person (or ‘god’) about 65 feet (19.81 m) tall.

It is not suggested here that the footsteps are real imprints made by a large person walking over the threshold of the temple, but rather that they were carved by the creators of the temple. The question is, why?

The 1 meter long (3.3 ft) footprints cut out in the doorstep of the Ain Dara temple. Left: The left footprint. Right: The right footprint. (Odilia/CC BY-SA 3.0), Odilia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

It is still unknown whose footprints these were meant to represent. Some scholars have suggested they are animal prints, while others have suggested they depict the footsteps of the gods. Perhaps, these footprints (measuring about a meter/3.28 ft in length) were meant to be an iconic representation of the resident deity. These footprints may have been carved to show the presence of the resident deity as they entered their temple and approached the throne in the inner sanctum.

Another interesting feature about the Ain Dara Temple is its similarities with the biblical description of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. It has been claimed that these two temples were similar in their floor plan, age, size, and decoration. Before jumping to the conclusion that one temple influenced the other, it should be mentioned that there are other temples in that region that are comparable to both the Ain Dara Temple and Solomon’s Temple. These temples include that of Ebla, Emar, and Munbaqa. Therefore, it may be suggested that these temples belonged to a wider cultural tradition that dominated the region during that time.

The virtually complete loss of this important piece of history due to hostilities in the region is another example of the importance of getting to ancient sites in troubled regions and recording them fully, in case they are lost forever.

Top image: Reconstructed wall of Ain Dara Temple with cherubim relief in lower panel. Right, Giant or godly footprints at the gate. Source: Odilia/CC BY-SA 3.0, Right; homocosmicos/Adobe Stock

By Ḏḥwty