HERMON, one of the highest mountains in Syria (9,150 ft. above the Mediterranean), an outlier of the Anti-Lebanon. The Sidonians call it Sirion, and the Amorites Shenir. Some part of this mountain near Cxsarea Philippi was probably the scene of the Transfiguration. The modern name is Jebel esh Sheikh, or "chief mountain." It is also called Jebel eth Thelj, " snowy mountain." The ridge of Hermon, rising into a dome shaped summit, is 20 tn. long, extending n.e. and s.w. The formation is a hard, dark gray crystalline limestone belonging to the Neocomian period, and full of fossils. The spurs consist in some cases of white chalk covering the limestone and on the s. there are several basaltic outbreaks. The mountain in spring is covered with snow, but in autumn there is occasionally none even in the ravines. To the height of 500 ft it is clothed with oaks and brush, while luxuriant vineyards abound. Above the snow limit
the mountain is bare and covered with fine limestone shingles. The summit is a plateau from which three knolls rise up, that on the w. being the lowest and that on the s.c. the highest. On the s. slope of the latter are the remains of a small temple described by St. Jerome. view from Hermon is very extensive, embracing Lebanon and the plains e. of Damascus, to the n. and e., while to the s. there is an uninterrupted view of Palestine as far as Carmel and Tabor. Ott a clear day even Jaffa may be seen. Several small temples are found on the sides of Hermon, of which twelve in all have been explored. They face the e. and arc dated by architects about 200 A.D. Foxes, wolves, and the Syrian bear are commonly found on Hermon, with various kinds of game.