Haifa; or, Life in modern PalestineOliphant, Laurence
History
Haifa; or, Life in modern Palestine
Oliphant, Laurence
Palestine -- Description and travel
I have just seen a man who has been paying them a visit at the old city
of Jerash, which, with the exception of Palmyra, is the most perfect
Greco-Roman ruin which exists to the east of Baalbec. My informant tells
me that in the course of their excavations for stone for their
habitations they are making great discoveries. They have unearthed a
heretofore undiscovered and unsuspected temple, with a subterranean
conduit of flowing water, and many fragments of statues and coins. One
large jar of gold coins, worth $50 each, was an immense prize, which
they only succeeded in keeping by paying a bribe to the government
official of $2500. My informant saw one of these coins, but, as he was a
native, and ignorant of such matters, his description was too vague to
convey any definite idea of their date. I should feel much tempted to
pay these ruins, which I have already examined once, another visit, but
of late years the government throws so many obstacles in the way of
travellers to the east of the Jordan that such a journey now may expose
one to annoyances.
Meantime, there are many objects of interest in this immediate
neighbourhood; within a distance of three miles I have found the
extensive remains of what have been undoubtedly iron and copper mines.
The former ore was present in large quantities, and the day may come
when this discovery may prove of considerable value to this part of the
country, though it would be useless, under existing conditions, to take
any steps towards its exploration now. It is probable that the old iron
rings which I found in digging the foundations of my house were made
from this ore.
I have also found a curious square structure, fourteen feet in height,
twelve feet square, composed of stones averaging three feet by two, by
about one in thickness, all carefully squared, and laid one upon another
without cement, the whole forming a perfectly solid erection of great
antiquity. It may possibly have been a vineyard watch-tower. It is on
the way from here to the “Place of Burning,” or Elijah's sacrifice, and
is the second I have found in that neighbourhood, the other being
considerably smaller. I came upon it accidentally on the occasion of a
Druse picnic to which I was invited, and which took place at the “Place
of Burning,” in celebration of the last day of the feast of Ramadan,
which the Druses seem to observe as well as the Moslems, though on a
different day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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