Travel with me to Lebanon: Hear an ancient language spoken Aramaic

Last year we traveled to Lebanon and visited some amazing places. We met fascinating people and generally had a very good time. Pour yourself a drink and sit back and listen to this story.

Lebanon is a very ancient civilization with a long history that predates most religions that we know of today.

In this video we meet Pierre Karam a descendant of a very innovative and popular priest of the village. Father Nimatulla Karam
Pierre discusses his heritage home in Tannourine and how it came to be built. Pierre shows us some of the antique texts, furniture and artifacts.

An ancient text
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Pierre speaks 9 different languages, one of which is Aramaic. The language of the region in pre-biblical times and of Jesus Christ. He translates several inscriptions, strange symbols and written texts, into English.

Strange symbols

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Here he talks about his ancestors, the silk makers who came to the region and transformed the local economy by teaching people how to grow and manufacture silk products.

Listen to the ancient Aramaic language at 20 minutes into the video

Portrait of Father Karam by a local artist

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I am not at all religious but it was an interesting story and thought that it should be recorded for posterity.

Photos of Tannourine in Mount Lebanon

Lebanon is mountainous and Mount Lebanon stretches along the backbone of the country

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The church built by Father Karam and the local community still stands in the centre of town

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Typical street scene on Mount Lebanon

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These terraces where built 1000's of years ago to grow crops. The soil is very fertile and all sorts of fruit and vegetables are grown here. Olives, grapes, carrots and plums. Just about anything you can think of grows here. Many villagers are self sufficient and pickle or smoke their produce to make it last. They have to. They can get snowed in for many months.