Cedars of Lebanon, The Cedars of God

The Lebanon Cedar or cedrus libani is one of the most majestic trees of the world. They grow exclusively on Mount Lebanon, a mountain range that extends along the entire length of the country, and once covered the entirety of the mountain. It is the symbol of the country, its pride, and features prominently on the Lebanese flag. Lebanon Cedars have imposing trunks with dense, iconic crowns that become characteristically flat-headed as the trees age, and fairly level branches. Their bark is dark gray but the wood is beautiful light tone, hard and astonishingly decay resistant. The gum they secrete has a sweet aroma. Despite their exposed position, the trees remain ever green, never shed their leaves, and are always fragrant. It is said that god himself planted these cedars. A Lebanon cedar. Photo credit: cwirtanen/Flickr “ The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted ”, proclaims the Bible (Psalm 104:16-17), and “ The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar in Lebanon " (Psalm 92:12). These are just a couple of numerous references to the Lebanon Cedar in the Bible and other ancient text. In ancient Mesopotamian mythology, the cedar forests of Mount Lebanon were thought to be the realm of the gods, guarded by the demigod Humbaba. In the 4,000-year-old Epic of Gilgamesh, often regarded as the earliest surviving great work of literature, the hero Gilgamesh defeated Humbaba, entered the virgin forests and cut away great number of cedars with which he built walls around the city of Uruk. As the story of Gilgamesh’s exploits attest, the cedars of Lebanon were known since historical times. Indeed, the cedars played a key role in creating the name of Lebanon and its glory, for the Lebanese cedar was one of the most valued construction material in the antique world.