이라크 알-아미르의 콜룸바리움 일 연구

A Study on Columbarium at `Iraq al-Amir in Jordan

The amount of new archaeological data has increased in recent years at `Iraq al-Amir and it seems timely to consider columbarium, though we are still waiting for the further light regarding `Iraq al-Amir. The columbaria were constructed for the cultic purpose to worship the goddess of Aphrodite, Sumerian Inanna(Ishtar), Greek deity of love, beauty and fertility, and Syrian Atargatis, which was the main protagonist for the sex cult in the ancient Near East. Though scholars suggest the Caves of Tobiah were dated between sixth and second centuries BC, columbaria in regard to Aphrodite worship seem to be before the third century BC by Tobiah family at `Iraq al-Amr.i Columbarium is related to doves and the cultic practice for the goddess of Aphrodite-Atargatis.