208. Baalbec. Pet.[it] Temple, Ext.[érieur] plafond.

This ambiguous detail is from one of the most distinctive features of the Temple of Bacchus - the ceiling of the portico at the northern end of the Temple. Instead of a plain flat ceiling or simple coffers this slender space was filled with a row of large slabs, each decorated with two six-pointed stars, made up of triangular panels surrounding deeper hexagonal and rhomboid openings. The triangular pieces were carved with foliated scroll designs and the openings were filled with deeply carved portrait busts of Roman gods and goddesses such as Mars, Ceres, Vulcan and Diana. Girault de Prangey selects one of these repeating units to illustrate this characteristically luxurious detail from Bacchus's Temple. The orientation of the image is questionable; the pattern is symmetrical and whether this is correct depends on what position the camera took relative to the ceiling above. The vertical orientation illustrated follows the direction of the label on the reverse.

There is one other similar study of this ceiling in the archive. It is in the same format and appears to be of a different section of the ceiling. It bears the reference number '207' suggesting that it may have immediately preceded this image.