The Nahr al-Kalb (, meaning ''Dog River'') is a

river A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

. It runs for from a spring in Jeita near the Jeita Grotto to the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

Historical significance

The Nahr al-Kalb is the ancient Lycus River. The river mouth is renowned for its Commemorative stelae of Nahr el-Kalb, featuring inscriptions from various civilizations. Past generals and conquerors have traditionally built

monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, historical ...

s at the mouth of the Nahr al-Kalb, known as the Commemorative stelae of Nahr el-Kalb. The notable inscriptions are of: Assyrian, Babylonian, Roman, Crusader, Ottoman, and modern era. The entire site of the Nahr el-Kelb valley with the archaeological sites it conceals is classified on the indicative list of

UNESCO world heritage World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by int ...

Geography

The river originates at a low altitude from a source that originates from the Jeita Grotto.

Recent developments

As of February 2025, the site remains a focus of historical research and preservation. In November 2023, digital documentation of the cuneiform inscriptions was carried out to support their preservation and study.

Notes

Kalb Tourism in Lebanon Tourist attractions in Lebanon {{Lebanon-river-stub