December
29
/ 2017
Ancient Arab accounts tell of a mysterious temple in eastern Anatolia dedicated to the planets. The ruins surrounding the modern village of Sogmatar used to be an important city during the Hellenistic Period. It was a center for the worship of the moon and the planets. The site contains an impressive open-air temple which is believed to have been dedicated to the planets, verifying this ancient account. Sogmatar, about 57 km (35.41 miles) from the ancient city of Harran, flourished as a cultic center and holy city during the time of the Abgar dynasty of Edessa, from the 2nd century BC to the 3rd century AD. Among the ruins in Sogmatar are the remains of walls and turrets on the
