Marqod, also known as Baal-Marqod (Lord of the Dance), was a Phoenician god of healing and dancing. It is unknown if Marqod's association with dancing came as a result of the Phoenician belief that Marqod was the creator of dancing or because dancing was the proper way to worship the deity. This may be evidence that the Phoenicians were the first ancient Near Eastern culture to have a specific deity devoted to dance.[1]