Phoenician Sidon Archaeological Heritage
Discover the extraordinary Phoenician heritage of Sidon, one of the greatest cities of antiquity, where ongoing excavations reveal layers of civilization going back 6,000 years beneath the living city.
- 1
Temple of Echmoun
Visit the Temple of Echmoun, the Phoenician god of healing, north of Sidon where a remarkable collection of votive sculptures and the temple platform reveal the religious center of ancient Sidonian civilization.
- 2
Phoenician Necropolis
See the Phoenician necropolis excavations where the elaborate sarcophagi of Sidonian royalty were discovered, the famous sarcophagus of Eshmunazar II with its Phoenician inscription now in the Louvre.
- 3
Underground Excavations
Learn about the ongoing archaeological excavations beneath the living city where construction projects regularly uncover new Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine remains, the stratigraphic layers of 6,000 years of continuous occupation.
- 4
Purple Dye Heritage
Understand the purple dye heritage of Sidon, one of the Phoenician cities where Murex sea snails were harvested to produce the famous Tyrian Purple that colored the robes of Roman emperors and Byzantine royalty at extraordinary cost.
- 5
Ancient Glass Production
Learn about Sidon contribution to ancient glass making, the Phoenician city credited with inventing glass blowing around the 1st century BCE, the technique that transformed the ancient world's relationship with this material.
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Archaeological Museum
Visit the archaeological museum where finds from Sidon excavations document the city extraordinary 6,000-year history, from Neolithic pottery to Phoenician goldwork, Greek sculpture, Roman mosaics, and Byzantine floor tiles.