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
History
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
There is a small doorway closed with masonry a little to the south of
the Golden Gate, and besides this nothing else remains to be noticed on
the east side, except that the whole length of the wall is covered with
creepers, which flourish here luxuriantly and do constant mischief;
breaches are already formed in some places, but the guardians of the
_Haram_ pay no attention to them; though in a few years they will not be
so indifferent to the expense of the repairs, which will then be
absolutely necessary. All the loop-holes were made in the time of
Solyman.
After the south-east corner has been turned, the whole wall, both in its
foundations and upper part, exhibits the same solid and magnificent
ancient masonry as on the east face. A few yards from the corner is a
doorway with a pointed arch, now walled up, which I consider to have
been made at the time of the Crusades, and possibly then called the Gate
of the Valley of Jehoshaphat. We shall hereafter notice the purpose for
which it was used. A little distance to the west of this, we see three
plain round-headed arches, supported by four pilasters, whose masonry
differs both from the older and newer work in the immediate
neighbourhood. Their general character is Roman, and I believe them to
have been built at the time of Justinian, to communicate with the vaults
within the _Haram_; which I shall presently describe.
Under the mosque _el-Aksa_ is a gate not only built up, but also partly
buried[308]. The arch is cut in two by the city-wall, which here turns
to the south. Its architectural features both constructive and
decorative resemble those of the Golden Gate; so that I consider it also
the work of Justinian. Under its arch is a grated window; by climbing up
to this, it is possible to look into a vaulted gallery below the mosque.
A stone, bearing the following inscription, is built slantwise into the
wall above and turned upside down.
TITO AEL. HADRIANO
ANTONINO AVG. PIO
P. P. PONTIF. AVGVR.
D. D.
No doubt it was picked up with many others in removing the ruins at the
time of Justinian and built in here by the masons, and when the wall was
again repaired in the reign of Solyman, the workmen, less careful and
skilful than the former, placed it in its present position. The
Mohammedans call this archway the Gate of the Prophetess Huldah[309],
for what reason they cannot say, for they also consider it to have been
the grand entrance to the stables of Solomon, and consequently hold it
in great respect. I shall recur to this gate in my account of the
vaults. I made several excavations in front of it, like those at the
south-east corner, and after digging 10 or 12 feet through the rubbish,
came upon the foundations laid in the age of Solomon, but could not
discover anything to prove that a gate had then existed on this spot.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account