Marqod, also known as
Baal-Marqod (Lord of the Dance), was a
Phoenician
god of
healing and
dancing. His name is from a common Semitic root for dancing; hence Hebrew רָקַד (raqad), Aramaic רקד, and Arabic رَقَصَ (raqaṣa), all meaning "to dance." It is unknown if Marqod was considered the creator of dancing or if dancing was merely the proper way to
worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adoration, praise, and praying. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recognition ...
the deity. This may be evidence that the Phoenicians were the first ancient
Near Eastern culture to have a specific deity devoted to dance.
References
West Semitic gods
Phoenician mythology
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