Temple of Atargatis

The temple is located south of the center (referred to by the excavators as the agora) of the city and occupies the northeastern part of the H2 block. The Temple used to share a wall with the building occupying the southeast corner of block H2, which is believed to have been the living space for the priests. These speculations have resulted in the adjoining building being named the House of Priests. The alley that runs between the Temple and the House is believed to have supported an upper floor connecting the two buildings, and a barricaded doorway has been found between the two buildings, implying that the residents were affiliated with the Temple.^[4] The cult building is close to the temple of Artemis in Dura-Europos. The temple has a courtyard with a monumental entrance and three sanctuaries on the back wall as well as a pronaos in front of it. There were also remains of wall paintings. There are various rooms around the courtyard, some of them with benches along the walls. Some of these rooms could have served as chapels for other deities, while other rooms were dining rooms for the cult community.^[5]

A relief from the sanctuary of the temple shows the goddess Atargatis, with lions by both sides, accompanied by her husband Hadad. A cult standard is depicted between the two deities, above the lion on the left. It is perhaps the main cult image in the temple. Atargatis was believed to be the mother of Adonis. Hadad and Adonis could also be worshipped here.^[6]