Curious places in Lebanon

A rock shelter in Lebanon containing some of the earliest evidence of humans wearing jewelry and decorating their bodies. Shells pierced for stringing and traces of pigment mark the moment our ancestors began expressing themselves through personal ornamentation.

A community of Maronite Christians who survived 1,500 years in the mountain valleys of Lebanon by choosing terrain that was nearly impossible for outside armies to control. The cliffs and gorges that made farming difficult also made conquest impractical.