Cyclopean Masonry, And The Buildings Of Jerusalem.

a gigantic race , AVIIO inhabited part of Greece and Italy ; and wherever in other countries besides these the remains of similar megnlithic masonry is found , there Avill also be found traditions of an ancient race , IIOAV passed away or entirely destroyed , who surpassed in stature and strength the men of later time . Although it has been doubted by modern archi . tects to Avhat historical race to attribute the

Grecian remains , yet one thing is evident , that they must have been the works of men AVIIO had either greater skill or greater strength than those who succeeded them ; and the idea of any superior amount of knoAvledge or skill is precluded by the appearance of the ruins themselvesAvhichrough

, , and unshaped , evidently belong to the very infancy of art , to a time of the most primitive ignorance ; and thus the only means by which they could have been erected is the superior physical strength of their builders .

It might be expected that in Palestine , and especiahy in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem ancl Bashan , the stronghold of an historical race of giants , some remains of masonry similar to that already described should haA'e been discovered ; and this expectation is increased hy the names yet

lingering round the capital which connect it Avith the ancient race ofthe Rephaim , and by the unusual size of the masonry of later date AA'hich is found there , as Avell as in other parts of Palestine . The Avails of the famous Golden Gate show a

curious mingling of masonry of different dates ; they descend to the patchwork of the modern Arabs , and they go back to au unknoAvn age ; for , on each side of the entrance is an enormous block , more than 15 ft . in height , and Avith all its dimensions of corresponding magnitude . That . these

two are of greater antiquity than any Avorks of Solomon is clearly proved by their present appearance , as Avill afterwards be shoAvn AA'hile in their proportions they throAV into the shade all the works ¦ of the mythological giants already mentioned . That the Avandering tribes AVIIO inhabited Palestine from the times of the early patriarchs to the date of the final settlement of the Israelites should

have occupied themselves in any great architectural works , AA'ill only be received on sufficient evidence , and Avill not be taken for granted ; but there are records of a more ancient race , the original inhabitants of Canaan , famous for the magnitude of their buildings and for the height of

their walls . Tho children of Ahiman Sheshaioud Talmai , the sons of Anak , still cLvelt beyond Jordan in the days of Moses . The remnant of the Rephaim lingered about Jerusalem and in the country of Bashan . The Emims dAvelt among the Moabitesand the Zamzummims remained in the

, country of the children of Ammon . All these were people great and strong , whose cities were walled to heaven . According to' the rabbinical Avriters , Avho hide under fables exaggerated and often x'idiculous , a

thread of history or tradition , the first ancestors of these races had become the servants of the family of Abraham ; aud being first subjugated by Noah , only rebelled against his descendants on their departure into Egypt . It Avas during this period of subjection of the gigantic race that Jerusalem

was first built by Melchisedec , Avho is supposed to be the same as Shem , the son of Noah ; ancl it is , therefore , not improbable the city Avas first fortified by the labours of the giants , and that the two great blocks before mentioned are the relics of their Avork .

It may , perhaps , be argued that it is impossible from so few remains to prove the origin of Jerusalem ; yet it Avill appear but natural that hardly anything should be left of the buildings AA'hich existed before the invasion of the Israelites , if it be remembered that they Avere expressly enjoined

to destroy utterly the heathen cities ; so that the very scarcity of this masonry Avould furnish fresh proof of its date as being previous to the time of the exodus .

The history of megalithic masonry is carried on in Palestine until a style is found Avhich connects the Cyclopean with the masonry of modern days . It has been SIIOAVII that in the Etruscan , the masonry had nothing left to SIIOAV its origin , except the irregularity of its joints ; aud IIOAV in Biialbec , Bashan , Hebron , Passargadas , and Jerusalem is to be found the next step toAvards perfection .

The rebated masonry before mentioned as existing in Peloponnesus is of this character , and its presence beloAv as a species of Cyclopean shows its great antiquity . The stones found in Palestine and the East are of a more finished character , beautifully grained and polished ; AA'hile all round

the edge of each block is a sunk band or border , that Avhich is knoAvn by the name of rebating . The stones are A ery long in comparison with their height , the depth of each course being less as it approaches nearer to the top of the Avail ; and in size they rival the Cyclopean . Marks of

imperfection are still visible in the unequal lengths of the stones , and in the Avant of attention paid to the beds out of Avhich they are cut ; some being taken out of soft strata , appear to be of a great age , eaten out Avith the action of the Aveather , and crumbling into decay , Avhile others , cut from more

durable material , remain fresh aud untouched , as if only just taken from the quarry . The arch is still either unknoAvn , or at least never used , and the same method for covering the doorways is used as at Mycenae ; for two great piers being built up are capped by a solid lintel , equalling in height tAvo

courses of the surrounding masonry ; aud in it , as at Mycenae , the joint is broken by cutting it shorter , about half Avay up , so as to fit exactly into the stones of the parallel courses -. thus the alternation , of the joints is preserved , and the unpleasing appearance of one long vertical division is avoided . Thus the rebated masonry of Palestine forms