The Achaemenid dynasty used bitumen for sealing and waterproofing the palace with the grandeur of Persepolis. Remains of it can be seen in the historical complex of Persepolis. Ancient Susa artists used a mixture of bitumen and heated it to obtain a composition that was very similar to stone. They used this material to make various objects as well as to make sculptures and fossils. 

Lebanon is an Asian country on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea with a history of several thousand years of civilization. The region was one part of the Levant and became an independent state after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The majority of the population is Muslim. Several tribes are living in Lebanon. About 30% of the country's population is Shiite.