Haifa; or, Life in modern PalestineOliphant, Laurence
History
Haifa; or, Life in modern Palestine
Oliphant, Laurence
Palestine -- Description and travel
A fine sarcophagus, with an Aramaic
inscription, stating that it held the body of a certain Queen Sara, was
discovered in them. Though called by a wrong name, they are,
nevertheless, well worth visiting. As it is supposed by some authorities
that Helena, Queen of Adiabene, was also buried here, they might more
properly be called the tombs of the queens.
But the really great work which recent investigation has accomplished
has mainly reference, not so much to such details as these, which must
always remain more or less matters of speculation, as to the settlement
of controversies affecting the topographical questions connected with
ancient Jerusalem. First, in regard to points upon which all are now
agreed. There is no doubt about the Mount of Olives and the brook
Kedron. It is agreed that the Temple stood on the spur immediately west
of the Kedron, and that the southern tongue of this spur was called
Ophel. It is also agreed that the flat valley west of this spur is that
to which Josephus applies the name Tyropæan, though there was a
diversity as to the exact course of the valley, which has now been set
at rest by the collection of the rock levels within the city. It is also
agreed by all authorities that the high southwestern hill, to which the
name of Sion has been applied since the fourth century, is that which
Josephus calls the upper city, or upper Market Place. The site of the
Pool of Siloam is also undisputed, and certain natural features have
been determined, which serve as data on which to construct the walls of
the ancient city and fix the site and area of the Temple enclosure in
the time of Herod. There is still some controversy in regard to the
exact position and course of the city walls prior to its destruction by
Titus, but this is chiefly maintained by those who are fatally affected
in their religious sentiments. There is also a difference of opinion in
regard to the area of the Temple building. Practically, however, this
point has been settled by the great weight of authority on one side,
which affirms that the present Haram enclosure, in which are situated
the mosque of Omar, and the sacred stone, represent the area of Herod's
Temple, only one or two standing out for a restriction of this area. If
the Turkish government would only allow explorations to be made under
the platform of the dome of the rock, the very rock upon which Abraham
is supposed to have been ordered to sacrifice Isaac, and if the
examination of the closed chambers known to exist on the north and east
sides of this platform could be carried out, the controversy might be
set at rest by actual discovery. Of the Temple of Solomon little is
known, though it is possible that the great scarps in the present
British cemetery may be as old as the time of David, or the eleventh
century before Christ. They are, without doubt, the oldest existing
remains in Jerusalem, and formed part of the ramparts of the upper city.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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