Part 8 (1/2)

After passing the Gate of S Mary and leaving on the left the ruins of a se of Saladin, the Mohammedan ceh narrow plateau running parallel to the east wall of the _Haram_, above the Kidron valley I consider the foundation of the whole line of wall, from the north-east to the south-east corner, to be the work of Solo led to this conclusion by a series of observations, carried on when graves were dug against the wall, and by excavations which I made with the help of the keepers of the ce suspicion and arousing the fanaticism of the Mohammedans

Near the south-east corner is a stone, which appears to have been the impost of an arch; as there are no tombs in this part, I made an excavation opposite to it, at a distance of 12 feet, and, after digging down for 14 feet, ca another hole along the saain at a depth of 12 feet; the difference being caused by the slope of the ground By this means I convinced myself that the foundations of the ere laid far down in the valley (as stated by Josephus), and that they rose up to the place, where it still appears above the surface of the ground, in a series of steps about 2 feet wide The foundation (strictly speaking) is hly squared, and not rusticated, fastened together by a tenon left projecting fro mortise in the next: there is not a trace of iron or lead or round its face is vertical, the blocks are more carefully squared, and rustic work is used, ide and deep grooves; as may be seen at many places in the lower part of the present wall[298] The force of the flames, the vandalism of man, and the course of tis; which have been saved from the fate of those on Sion and Ophel, by the ruins heaped about them, and still round on which they stand

These valuable remains enable us to compare their masonry with the Herodian work, seen le[299], and at the south-east extree size[300] and rusticated; only the grooves here are small, and the whole surface of the block is well sether without s of lead are used; as I was able to ascertain when a small part was repaired: each course stands a little more than a tenth of an inch farther back than the one below it The general appearance of the work ress in art and a delicacy of execution, which could not have been produced in the time of Solomon, even with Phoenician aid In all the countries formerly occupied by this people there are not any exa the architecture of Soloht reasonably suppose that Herod would increase the strength of the northern corner, as an outwork to the Antonia on the east; while the south-east cornerweaker than the rest owing to the existence of the great vaulted cistern within the _Haram_; and, as Nehe its position, Herod would rebuild it in his restoration of the above-named cistern, whose east and south sides are not formed by the rock, but by the outer wall of the Teth to withstand the pressure of the water

I have already explained by what uish the walls which I attribute to Nehemiah, the Romans, and the Arabs[301]; examples of each can be readily found in the eastern wall of the _Hara the ashes of Yacb Pasha and his wife) to beyond the Golden Gate the ns of Arab restorations Here may be seen coluwise into the thickness of the wall

Doubtless these formerly decorated some Christian edifices, and were placed in their present position when the city walls were repaired by Sultan Solyman

The principal object that attracts attention on the east side is the Golden Gate[302], which projects slightly from the line of the wall The two outer doorways, as I have already said, are built up[303]; but for the sake of description ill for a ine them opened From the outside we see two round-headed arches each supported by two pilasters, built of stones of no great size, which are laid in mortar, without rustic work, and forenuine ancient blocks in the lower parts of the walls on each side, and at each corner The two arches and their capitals are richly carved with leaves and other orna is cased, except at the base, with Saracenic work of the date of Solyular masonry, the smallness of the stones, the occurrence of a Byzantine capital (out of its proper place) on the top of the facade, and many other minor ornamental details, bad in taste and execution, which are characteristic of that age[304]

Passing through the entrance, we find the piers and architraves of the doors composed of immense blocks, six in number, which resemble Jeork Their state of decay shews their antiquity, and theycalcined and crureat size and sheltered situation, they ought to have been in good preservation, like all the rest of the internal e of Justinian The plan of the building is an oblong, the length being double the breadth, divided into two aisles by two large colurey veined marble and two half-coluhtly fro, conificent entablature, carved in leaf patterns[305], is carried round the walls of the building The west facade[306], inside the _Haram_, has a double doorith round-headed arches, supported by a central column and two side pilasters Their form and ornamentation resemble those on the east front The outer roof is also a series of do some repairs about 60 years since Not a few authors have attributed the architecture of this gate to the ti that Josephus states that the Temple and its cloisters were burnt and utterly destroyed by the Roman troops How then is it possible that the walls, and still more the ornamental work, should have survived the fury of the soldiers? If the east cloister has so entirely disappeared, how is it that the gate, which stood in the middle of it, has escaped? Those few blocks in the piers of the door e of Herod, but not the rest of the n the whole building to that period It is however very probable that they were found aate and incorporated in the present Nor can we believe that the two large ht to Jerusalem by Herod It is far more likely that they were sent by Justinian to adorn a spot sacred in Christian tradition as the place where our Saviour entered Jerusale the shouts of one part of the populace, to keep that last Passover before he suffered[307] I consider therefore that the present Golden Gate stands not only upon the site of the ancient east gate, but also upon its foundations, for we find its diate was 40 cubits long and 20 wide;' and a strong proof of the truth of this opinion is, that, onan excavation near the north door, I discovered at a depth of 10 feet the foundations, of undoubted Herodian work At the sa up to the gate, and that a ainst its east front, in the slopes of which are the graves of the Mohammedan cemetery

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 foruardians of the _Harah 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 sanificent ancient masonry as on the east face A few yards from the corner is a doorith a pointed arch, noalled 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 frohbourhood 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 ate 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 ; by cliallery below theinscription, 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 withthe ruins at the time of Justinian and built in here by the n 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 Soloreat 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, cae of Soloate had then existed on this spot

Starting froain to the west down to the Dung Gate Throughout the whole of this angle the lower part of the wall is Roh this gate is evidently only a few hundred years old, it is usually pointed out by the guides as that entered by our Saviour, when he was brought fronorance of architecture and of the plan of the ancient city has allowed this tradition to exist[310] Entering, and forcing our way through a thicket of cactus, we regain the south wall of the Ten of Soloave, first the masonry of Solomon, secondly that of the Crusaders, and above these that of Soly to the choir of Justinian's basilica, which was thron by an earthquake between the years AD 775 and 785 They noait the last stroke of the hand of Tiround, when they evidently must injure in their fall the south wall of thethis by timely repairs

The whole of the space between the walls of the city and the _Haram_ was probably, at the time of Herod the Great, covered by the a[312]

Near the south-west angle is a very rement of an arch and its pier, built into the _Haram_ wall Nearly all the learned writers who have noticed it, with the exception of the Rev G Williae either of Solomon or Herod; I however venture to differ fro the neighbouring basilica, e over the valley between Moriah and Sion to facilitate the communication between the two sanctuaries on these hills The work may have been left unfinished, because the plan was either changed or found impracticable The blocks shew none of the characteristics of the work of Solomon or Herod, nor have they the same marked appearance of antiquity; nor does thelaid with s had executed a work of such importance, the Bible and Josephus would not have passed it over in silence We can scarcely iine that so vast an arch, 375 feet in span, could have been built in those tie crossed the valley with a series of arches, then traces of the piers, or at least of the stones that co the rubbish below; also there should be so of the kind occurs On this point I can speak with confidence, because when the Pasha requested me to inspect the city sehich runs down the valley to the Pool of Siloam, I availed myself of this fortunate opportunity to widen and deepen the excavation, and did not find the slightest indication of a bridge

Josephus[313] states that when Pompeius approached the city with his forces, the partisans of Aristobulus, on retreating to the Teain on other occasions[314], and to the tower near it, built by Siainst John What then has becoh now, as on Ophel and part of Sion, there may be open fields on the site of some parts of ancient Jerusalem, numbers of stones, as I have already described[315], are scattered about; why then does not the sareat accumulation of rubbish would have buried the fallen blocks and preserved them from the action of fire? Besides, the rock exposed in the eastern slope of Sion is rough and rugged, and untouched by the chisel; there is no part of it that we can suppose to have supported a building I have also excavated along by the side of it in the valley below and found nothing I have exained to be built upon its foundation, but all ations have confire never stood upon this spot Had it done so, why, as we see the pier on the east, do we not see so re-stones of the arch rested upon the rock? I believe the bridge mentioned by Josephus was near the present _Mekhemeh_ (the Mohammedan Court of Justice), which is on the west of the _Haram_, at the bottom of Temple Street, because at this point the valley is still crossed fros the water froround south of this, on the opposite side, forht of this bridge or dyke above the street is 38 feet on the south, and 20 on the north; which, it must be remembered, is not the true elevation of the work itself; because the ground has been raised on each side by the accumulation of rubbish in the bottom of the Tyropoeon

This, in my opinion, joined the Upper city to the Temple-hill in former times, as it now does It is surely very improbable that the principal approach to the Temple from the west should have been placed at one corner, instead of in the centre of the enclosure; as would have been the case had the great arch for: and when this was broken down, the communication with the Temple would not have been cut off, as the dyke would still have been a more direct and convenient road fro place, we coarabins; a few yards to the north of which is a little rectangular plot of ground, surrounded by a loall: after passing this I entered a dark chamber, in which was a doorway almost buried M Isambert[316] has atteatestested his theory on the spot, he is unaware that the difference of level between the outside and inside of the _Haraate has evidently beenof the wall

The Jeailing place is a small open plot; where a piece of Herod's wall is still seen between the outer wall of the _Mekhe to Abu-Saud): it is called in Arabic _Ha el-Mogharibeh_ (the wall of the Mogarabins) M de Saulcy says of it: ”Up to a height ofhas reular courses of fine stones, perfectly squared, but with an even border standing out as a kind of fra the joints, rise over each other to within two or three yards froh to ascertain, without any doubt, that the Jewish tradition is positively correct; a wall like this has never been constructed either by Greeks or Roinal Hebraic architecture[318] In the inferior courses the stones are on the average twice as wide as they are high; now and then, however, so ones The four inferior courses nearest the ground are formed of square blocks, with the exception of the last but one, which is coh As the courses successively rise above the ground, the dimensions of the blocks decrease, and, lastly, every course recedes about one fifth of an English inch behind the surface of the one i the space on each side) the ancient construction extends about 38 feet to the right, and 36 to the left, or in the direction of the _Mekheain, the primitive wall is crowned towards the suularly disposed, but of small dimensions These upper courses are of coe cannot be referred to a period anterior to the Mohae notches, which have beena pediment over this part of the enclosure; these notches, hollowed out in the shape of a niche, that is to say, round at the top with a rectangular basis, are of different dimensions, perhaps theyof the Temple by Herod[319]” From its delicacy of execution I consider this wall Herodian work; besides, I think it very unlikely that the Chaldeans,standing at Jerusalem: they would have pulled down all that the flames had spared I consider the smaller masonry of the upper part to be of the time of the Crusades or Saracenic Friday is the day on which the Jews chiefly assereat numbers, to pray, to recite the Psalms of David, and bedeith their tears these reranted to thee of the _Haram_ This custom dates from a very early period; it is mentioned by Benjamin of Tudela in the twelfth century[320]

The stones in the lower parts of the walls of the _Mekheh relief They are not so large as those we attribute to the age of Solomon or Herod, but still appear ancient I think theyto the Asmonean epoch, and have fore on the side of the Temple The masonry in the upper hall of the ti is supported by pointed arches springing fro to Mohaement Hall of Solomon, converted into an armoury by the Crusaders: it is certainly not ihts Tee chamber belohich has undoubtedly been used as a cistern, as is shewn by the very strong cement in the walls, is now filled with rubbish In the middle of the upper hall is a fountain, now and then supplied with the water of Etham; and on the left of the principal entrance (part of a restoration by Saladin or Solys outside the Damascus Gate: it is a facsimile of that carried to Paris by M de Saulcy, and now placed in the Gallery of the Louvre; it at present serves to hold water[321]

Close to the _Mekhemeh_ is the principal entrance into the _Hararoups of spiral coluant capitals carved in leaf patterns, the work of Saladin Before its west front is a fountain, an elegant specier filled ater, is an ancient sarcophagus of red Palestine breccia From this spot up to the north-west corner the ancient foundations of the _Haram_ wall are concealed by Arab houses, and can only be seen here and there above the level of the ground; enough, however, is visible to shew that the old wall followed the line of the present enclosure frooing ard along the dyke, which, with the Rev G Williae between Sion and Moriah, we see, after a few yards, on the right hand a small facade of Saracenic architecture, adorned with arabesques of excellent design; whose accurate execution deserves notice It is a fragment of an ancient school, established by Saladin, the revenues of which are now exhausted, so that nothing else re A little further on we leave this street (called by the Crusaders the Bridge of S Giles), by taking the first turning to the north, and find, after passing the corner, a stone embedded in the lower part of the wall of the first Arab house on the right hand, bearing an inscription, which however is of no i the top of a vault which I have examined It was constructed to form an easy communication with the Tyropoeon, and proves that in for on northe arrive at a Saracenic fountain, noithout water; near it on the south is a passage leading into the central sehich here deviates a little to the east to regain the middle of the valley, and consequently passes under the bridge near the above-named school of Saladin On the north of the fountain is an ancient Mohaate of the Bazaar of the _Haram_, at the end of which is the _Bab el-Katannin_ (Gate of the Cotton Merchants) The entrance to the Bazaar is a frontispiece of rude rustic work, which I attribute to the age of the Crusades The interior is Saracenic, as is shewn by the architraves of the cells on each side, which were built for merchants'

shops, but now are receptacles for filth After passing the middle of the Bazaar, there is a bath on the south side called the _Hareat depth: its waters have an unpleasant taste; but ill speak more particularly of it presently On the north, nearly opposite to the entrance of the bath, a little street leads to the _Bab el-Kadid_ (Iron Gate) and the Convent of Blind Dervishes, (a philanthropic establish from this calamity, are still received