TYPE: Heroic Tutelary God
ORIGIN: Phoenician [Turkey]
KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP: Circa 1200 BCE to 200 BCE
SYNONYMS: Milk-quart
CENTER(S) OF CULT: Tyre
ART REFERENCES: possibly sculptures in stone.
LITERARY SOURCES: Herodotus and local inscriptions; Vetus Testamentum.
INFORMATION: A god of youthful appearance often associated with the sea. Known mainly from Tyre, where he was regarded as the consort of Astarte and probably constituted part of a trio of major deities with Baal, Samin, and Astarte. He may be depicted on coinage riding a sea-horse. The cult of Melqart spread extensively through Egypt, Carthage, Cyprus, etc. Melqart equates with Esmun, the tutelary god of Sidon. Known in Hebrew tradition as the ruler of the underworld and probably based on the Sumerian/Akkadian Nergal. In Hellenic times he becomes defined more as a sun god, but is largely syncretized with Herakles. The pillars in the sanctuary at Gadeira/Cadiz were renamed the Pillars of Hercules by the Romans.