Category: History

Battling for the Holy Places

In response to my previous post, Joe Zias, physical anthropologist, who worked for many years for the Israel Antiquities Authority, wrote concerning Rachel’s Tomb:

Check out photographs at Yad Ben Tsvi lib. to see Islamic graves surrounding the site up to and abutting the shrine. I in fact was called in to view burial remans just a few meters to the north of the entrance which lie under the pavement in which all and everyone walks across. they were Islamic according to their orientation and no more than a few hundred yrs old. Haredim were satisified that they were not Jewish and covered up the remains (so they said).

There certainly has been a Muslim graveyard next to Rachel’s Tomb for the last few hundred years. See pics below. However, a cluster of Muslim tombs does not a Muslim site make. The exterior of the eastern wall of the Temple Mount is lined with Muslim tombs, but we know a lot more about its history than that fact. Rachel’s Tomb is not just the tomb of an insignificant female character from the Bible, but of Rachel, who the Jews call Imeinu, “Our mother”, wife of Jacob, the third Jewish patriarch. The site of her tomb is noted twice in Scripture: Gen. 35.16-20 and 1 Sam. 10.2 and by numerous early pilgrims to the Holy Land.

Rachel's Tomb in 1894 - note Muslim graves around the building

The Muslims, who walked into history more than 2,500 years later, also revere Rachel and her name appears in the Koran. It is because of that association that her tomb became a popular “wely” or site to hold funerals.

Rachel's Tomb in the 1930's - note the Muslim tombs next to the building

And when Moses Montefiore bought the site for the Jews in 1841, he built a vaulted vestibule for the Muslims to pray in, in order to conciliate them. Denys Pringle in his comprehensive historical note to the site in The Churches of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, (written in 1995, with no political axe to grind) provides a sketch plan of how this building relates to the tomb.

Rachel's Tomb, plan made in 1995

It is difficult to see how this Muslim reverence for Rachel translates into the recent renaming of the structure, the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque, after an Ethiopian Muslim believed to be the first muezzin! This rewriting of history is heading up for one more battle in the conflict over the Holy Places. It reminds me of the statement of a Muslim tour guide who we once employed to show us round the Temple Mount, in order to get their perspective. He told us, in all seriousness: “Melchizedek was the first Palestinian king of Jerusalem!

Ancient Near East Evening Lectures at Cambridge University

An interesting series of Ancient Near East Evening Lectures will be given at Cambridge University on Tuesdays @ 5pm.
Location: Seminar Room, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3ER, UK.

Michaelmas Term, 2010
26th October
Nicole Brisch (University Lecturer in Assyriology, University of
Cambridge): Letters to the Gods: Royal Letters of Petition as a Genre
of Sumerian Scholarly Literature

2nd November
Jacob Dahl (University Lecturer in Assyriology, University of Oxford):
Topic – Proto-Elamite

16th November
Johannes Haubold (Senior Lecturer in the Department of Classics and
Ancient History, University of Durham): Topic – Berossos and the
Hanging Gardens of Babylon

23rd November
Mark Weedon (British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellow, SOAS): Tabal and
the Limits of Assyrian Imperialism
Lent Term, 2011

25th January
Tony Wilkinson (Professor of Archaeology, University of Durham): Title TBC

1st February
David Wengrow (Reader in Comparative Archaeology, UCL): Why did
cross-cultural trade matter in the ancient Near East?

15th February
Alasdair Livingstone (Reader in Assyriology, University of
Birmingham): Topic – Hemerologies
22nd February

Ronan Head (Doctoral Graduate, Johns Hopkins University): Title TBC
1st March

Frances Reynolds (Shillito Fellow in Assyriology, University of
Oxford): Title TBC
Easter Term, 2011
Dates: To be confirmed

Confirmed Speakers
Jonathan Taylor (Assistant Keeper of the Cuneiform Collections, British Museum)
Caroline Waerzeggers (Lecturer in the Ancient Near East, UCL)

HT: Jack Sasson

The Ark of the Covenant

With the conversion of our slide set, “From Sinai to Sakhra,” into digital format, the complete set of volumes we previously had available is now on disc. Having ourselves followed, in part, the route of the Ark and being intimately familiar with some of its resting-places, this subject is close to our hearts. Information that has come to light in recent years has been added, making this CD an entirely new presentation.


Pictures of a model of the Tabernacle, designed by Dr. Leen Ritmeyer, have been included to help viewers understand the place of the Ark in the symbolism of God’s desert sanctuary. Specially created maps of its journey to the Promised Land and wanderings among the Philistines make it possible to follow this dramatic story. There are unique reconstruction drawings of scenes such as the Camp of Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai and evocative photographs of the desert scenes through which the Ark passed. The view of Moses from Mount Nebo is contrasted with that of Balaam, the mad prophet, from the very same spot. A rare photograph of the River Jordan in flood serves to demonstrate the faith of the two spies who crossed it before the Ark could lead the Israelites into their inheritance.

Reconstruction drawing of the Camp of Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai - © Leen Ritmeyer

Excavation photographs and diagrams show that the walls of Jericho really did fall down! Once Jerusalem is reached, the cities of David and Solomon, which were so closely involved with the Ark’s stay, are explored both in photographs and graphics. The account of the travels of the Ark ends with the installation of this holiest of objects in the Holy of Holies of the Temple and a discussion as to its possible location today.

We have ideas for exciting new topics for CDs to aid you in your Bible study and teaching and will keep you posted on this blog. Do let us know if there is a subject you would like covered.

Mamre and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Israel National News, Arutz Sheva, reported today that the site of Mamre near Hebron has been visited recently and may be opened soon.

The site is mentioned three times in Genesis, in chapters 13,14, and 18. This is where Abraham settled after separating from his nephew Lot, where he built an altar to G-d, and where G-d sent him three angels to inform him that his son Isaac would be born the following year.
It was also here that Abraham established the first Hebrew army, for the purpose of rescuing Lot, who had been kidnapped by the Four Kings during their war against the Five Kings as described in Genesis.

The Herodian wall with pilasters in Mamre - © Leen Ritmeyer

Today, Elonei Mamre is also one of Israel’s most important archaeological sites. A two-meter-high, 70-by-30-meter wall has been found there, apparently built by King Herod 2,000 years ago. The wall’s construction has similar characteristics to that in the Machpelah Cave [the Cave of the Patriarchs, ed.] and the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Remains of two towers from an earlier period have also been found in Elonei Mamre.

In the 1980’s I visited the site and made this reconstruction drawing of the Herodian enclosure. It was amazing to see how closely the architectural style of the outer walls resembled those of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Reconstruction drawing of the Herodian enclosure at Mamre - © Leen Ritmeyer

Lecture on New finds in Jerusalem’s Jaffa Gate

In a previous post, we reported on the new archaeological finds in the Jaffa Gate area. If you are in Jerusalem this week (and understand Hebrew!), you may enjoy attending this lecture, which will take place in the Yad Ben Zvi Institute, 12 Abarbanel Street, Rehavia, Jerusalem.

Yad Ben Zvi will host a program Tuesday evening, October 12, 2010, from 6-8 pm, devoted to lectures and responses on “New Finds in Jaffa Gate”. The talks are by the lead excavators Ofer Sion and Architect Shahar Poni.

The MC is Hillel Geva, director of the Israel Exploration Society, intimately familiar with Old City excavations over decades, who is currently publishing the final excavation reports of Nachman Avigad’s work in the Old City.

Source: Joe Lauer and Barnea Levi Selavan

Jaffa Gate Moat in Jerusalem

A reader of a previous post asked a question about the breaching of the city wall near the Jaffa Gate:

Are you sure about the Jaffa Gate? Every other source I’ve read says that the the wall was breached between Jaffa Gate and David’s Citadel to allow the Kaiser’s entourage to enter the city — ie, it was not just a question of filling in the moat.

The Jaffa Gate and Moat in 1880 - Charles Wilson: Picturesque Palestine

The accompanying picture from Charles Wilson’s book Picturesque Palestine (1880), shows that the moat between the Jaffa Gate and the Citadel was the only defence in this area. On both sides of the moat, there were low walls to prevent people from falling into this moat. This low wall on the outside, or curtain wall as it is called in this report, was not a city wall and its removal can hardly be called “breaching”.

To let the Kaiser ride in on horseback, the moat was filled in and, of course, the low curtain walls were dismantled as well.

More on renovations planned for Jerusalem’s Old City

In connection to my previous post, I was interested to see that The Jerusalem Post also reported on the planned underground tunnel and parking lot in the Old City. I’m sure that Jerusalem archaeologists will be pleased with the prospect of excavating this area of the Jewish Quarter.

The architect Sherki admitted that it:

would be impossible not to lose some archeology in the course of construction, and said it took many years for the Israel Antiquities Authority to agree with the plan because of the potential archeological losses. But he believes that because they have a good idea of what exists underneath, the construction will minimize the destruction of archeological ruins.


At its deepest point, if no significant archeological discoveries are made, the parking garage will reach a depth of about nine meters, allowing for four levels of parking. But with as little as five meters, a depth Sherki is certain they can reach without disturbing any ruins, they can have a double-tiered parking garage.

Sherki may be disappointed, as from my experience of working on the Jewish Quarter excavations, I know that the Byzantine remains are only 3-4 m deep. They have been excavated by the team of the late Prof. Nahman Avigad and the results have been documented and published.

I could not help but be intrigued at the thought of what could be found, should the excavations go ahead. Depending how large an area will be opened, more of the entrance and narthex of the Byzantine Nea Church may be found and perhaps some of the internal architecture.

Remains of the Cardo Maximus may also be found. A large stretch of this street was already excavated during the 1980’s and I was privileged to supervise its reconstruction. The southern continuation, however, runs through the western part of the parking lot area.

Reconstructing the Byzantine Cardo. © Leen Ritmeyer

Procopius (500 – 565 AD), a prominent scholar who lived in Caesarea, wrote a detailed description of the Nea Church. According to his description, “as one advances there are two semi-circles (hemikykla) which stand facing each other on one side of the road that leads to the church”.
The street must be the Cardo Maximus and the two semi-circular colonnades stood between the Cardo and the Nea. Procopius does not supply us with any further information but I have suggested a possible arrangement on the accompanying plan. This differs from the plan of other Byzantine churches, which usually have a rectangular or square atrium in front of them. St. Peter’s Church in Rome (although dating from a much later period) also has two semi-circular colonnades in front of it.
In Jerusalem there is no space for anything as grand as in Rome, but nevertheless I hope that some light may be shed on Procopius’ description of the Nea Church, in particular on these semi-circular structures. The Byzantine historian did write that Justinian’s Nea Church was “a shrine with which no other can be compared.”

HT: Joe Lauer

New plans for expanding the Western Wall Plaza near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

In a previous report we wrote about plans to construct an underground elevator to make the western access to the Western Wall Plaza easier for the disabled. Now a different and much larger tunnel is planned to access the Western Wall Plaza from the south. See this report in Haaretz. The new plan also provides for a larger prayer area for women:

The Jerusalem Planning and Building Committee will meet today (October 4th, 2010) to discuss a master plan for expanding the Western Wall Plaza.
The program, still in its initial phase of planning, has already provoked an outcry among opponents, including Islamic groups, women’s rights groups and denizens of the Old City’s Jewish Quarter.
The plan – prepared by the Western Wall Foundation in conjunction with the Jerusalem municipality and Jerusalem Development Authority – includes the construction of a new underground passageway that would become the main entryway to the plaza.

Planned access to the Western Wall Plaza.
1. Dung Gate. 2. Proposed underground tunnel. 3. Present access path to the Temple Mount. 4. Western Wall Plaza.

The Western Wall receives 8 million visitors a year, and by 2025, that number is expected to nearly double.
Excavating the area is complicated by the fact that the plaza was never initially planned. Its appearance today is the result of the hasty demolition of the Moroccan Quarter, the neighborhood that once existed adjacent to the wall, in the immediate aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War.
The cornerstone of the plan, which has been prepared by the architect Gavriel Kertesz, is to replace the current entryway to the plaza, via the Dung Gate, in favor of a wide underground corridor.
The tunnel will feature a large entry terminal where security personnel will examine visitors. Once inside, visitors will climb stairs or a ramp, or take an elevator, to the plaza itself.
Archaeological finds will line the corridor’s walls, giving visitors a sense of the area’s thousands of years of history.

As usual, a Muslim outcry is expected, but for archaeologists it would be a golden opportunity to learn more about the history of this fascinating area.

HT: Joe Lauer

Queen Helena of Adiabene and the Temple Mount

The sarcophagus of Queen Helena of Adiabene is now on display at the Israel Museum.

The Sarcophagus of Queen Helena of Adiabene

This sarcophagus and others had been removed in the 15th century AD from the so-called Tombs of the Kings in Jerusalem. In fact, this tomb complex should have been called the Tomb of the Queen, as it has been identified by her name on the above-mentioned sarcophagus. After removal, these sarcophagi were used as watering troughs on and near the Temple Mount.

In 1866, the sarcophagus of Queen Helena was taken away and given to the French explorer Louis Felicien de Saulcy, who shipped it to France. Two of these sarcophagi remain on the Temple Mount, one in front of the Islamic Museum and the other at the foot of the Qayit Bay Fountain.

Herodian Sarcophagus at the Islamic Museum on the Temple Mount - Photo: Leen Ritmeyer
Herodian Sarcophagus at the foot of the Qayit Bay Fountain on the Temple Mount - Photo: Leen Ritmeyer

What interests me in these sarcophagi is their decorations. They all display rosettes, resembling flowers. These motifs are well known from the Temple Mount Excavations, where many such fragments were found. None of these fragments were large enough to inform us reliably as to the style of Temple Mount decoration. In order to make reconstruction drawings, we had to turn to the funerary monuments and sarcophagi of the Second Temple period which reflected the architecture on the mount itself.
The variation in motifs was amazing. For instance none of the rosettes on the sarcophagi and tomb friezes was the same as the next. The sarcophagus of this Mesopotamian queen with its arrangements of rosettes resembling a frieze is invaluable as an indication of the splendour and beautiful architecture of Herod’s Temple and the buildings of the Temple Mount.

The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Daily Life in Roman Palestine

This must be required reading:

The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Daily Life in Roman Palestine
Edited by Catherine Hezser

Written by an international and interdisciplinary team of
distinguished scholars, The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Daily Life in
Roman Palestine is an indispensable reference compendium on the
day-to-day lives of Jews in the land of Israel in Roman times. Ranging
from subjects such as clothing and domestic architecture to food and
meals, labour and trade, and leisure time activities, the volume
covers all the major themes in an encompassing yet easily accessible
way. Individual chapters introduce the reader to the current state of
research on particular aspects of ancient Jewish everyday life –
research which has been greatly enriched by critical methodological
approaches to rabbinic texts, and by the growing interest of
archaeologists in investigating the lives of ordinary people. Detailed
bibliographies inspire further engagement by enabling readers to
pursue their own lines of enquiry.The Handbook will prove to be an
invaluable reference work and tool for all students and scholars of
ancient Judaism, rabbinic literature, Roman provincial history and
culture, and of ancient Christianity.
Features

* Interdisciplinary approach presents the most up-to-date
perspectives on the study of ancient Jewish daily life
* An indispensable reference tool for all students and scholars of
ancient Judaism, Roman provincial history and culture, and early
Christianity
* Written by a team of internationally renowned scholars
* Extensive bibliographies help to orientate future research projects
* Part of the prestigious Oxford Handbooks series

About the Author(s)
Catherine Hezser is Professor of Jewish Studies at the School of
Oriental and African Studies, University of London

HT: Jack Sasson