Jerusalem Explored, Volume 1—Text: Being a Description of the Ancient and Modern City, with Numerous Illustrations Consisting of Views, Ground Plans and SectionsPierotti, Ermete
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Jerusalem Explored, Volume 1—Text: Being a Description of the Ancient and Modern City, with Numerous Illustrations Consisting of Views, Ground Plans and Sections
Pierotti, Ermete
Jerusalem -- Antiquities; Jerusalem -- Description and travel
I cannot ascertain the position of the rock Peristereon (dovecote).
According to Schultz this word has the same meaning as the Latin
'Columbarium[154],' and he identified it with the so-called 'Tombs of
the Prophets[155],' but this does not correspond with the 'Columbarium'
of the Romans. Its position indeed, at the first glance, seems to agree
with the _data_ of Josephus; but his words appear more applicable to a
prominent rock than to a monument, which moreover is too far up the
hill-side to be included in the line of circumvallation. I believe
therefore that the Peristereon of Josephus was situated at the north
entrance of the present village of Siloam, where the rocks still bear
marks of having been extensively quarried.
The Monument of Ananus has been identified by Schultz with the present
tomb of S. Onuphrius, a building in the Doric style, situated in
Aceldama; we will examine it more minutely hereafter.
I also agree with Schultz in placing the village, called 'House of
Erebinthi' (chick peas), in the valley of Gihon to the west of
_Birket-es-Sultan_, at a spot marked by some ruins, quarried rock, and a
considerable number of cisterns hewn in the rock; called by the Arabs,
_Kasr-el-Asfur_ or _el-Ghazal_ (castle of the young sparrow or of the
gazelle) and _Abu-Wair_. Near, and to the west of _Birket Mamillah_, is
a large mass of ruins, covering some sepulchral caves, which are
identified by Schultz with Herod's monument. Though it is difficult to
recognise in them the customary magnificence of that family, still the
position suits the account of Josephus. They were injured in the early
ages of Christianity on the building of the Greek church of St Babylas,
which was afterwards destroyed by the Persians under Chosroes II., and
to which the present remains belong.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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