Architecture Of Palestine From The Earliest Times To The Crusades.

ance of having bc-eu produced by a machine furnished with iron points , and which acted Avith a rotatory mot-ion . I made the same observation from the horizontal grating , and perceived that the steps were cut iu the rock itself . It is under the sarcophagus that the tomb , cut verticalliii the rockmust be htIn

y , soug . my examination I " was favoured by fortune , or rather by tho humidity of the place itself . Had it nofc been for this , the lighted paper Avhich I employed Avould havo ignited the petitions addressed to the prophet , and I should have "been subjected to the wrath , not only of the custodian , but of the Avhole village .

From the Period of Solomon to Herod . During the times of David and Solomon luxury increased among the Jews . The arts and industry greatly improved under the influence of Phoenician artists and craftsmen , Avho came to Judea in largo numbers , and afforded the Hebi-evrs the opportunity of learning their arts . Of the Avorks lished bDaA'id AVO have no

accomp y indications or trace remaining . Ho doubt can be entertained that he furnished the means ancl planned the localities , ancl that his ideas were carried into execution "by Solomon . The latter Avas not occupied , like the former , in fighting against enemies and founding UGAV institutions ; and , therefore , Avas at liberty to devote his Avisdom and to the augmentation of the splendour

energy of his kingdom by the erection of stupendous buildings , by commercial enterprize , and by the encouragement of luxury little in keeping Avith the constitution of the country . But of all his great Avorks , Avhat remains have Ave ? The scripture informs us : Nebuchadnezzar convorted them into a heap of ruins by lire ; employed men to raze the Avails and fortifications ; and carried the

people into capfcivhVy . In the reign of Cyrus , fifty-two years afterwards and 536 years before Jesus Christ , the exiles returned to their native land ; rebuilt Jerusalem and tho Temple of the Lord , Avhich did not equal the first iii splendour ; in consequence of AA'hich Herod substituted for it one far grander . Tho Avhole of the long period Avhich elapsed betAveen Solomon and Herod is utterly unproductive of monumental remains . "We ha \* e certainly net a building , perhaps not even a capital , of the time . Of the latter , hoAvever , I speak doubtfully .

The capital of the monolith found under the mosque of Aksa is at present the subject of serious study ancl investigation , AA'ith a view to assigning ib to the Solomonic or lierodian epoch . In Jerusalem and Palestine in general , Ave have only blocks of worked stones , Avails , reservoirs , and aqueducts ofthe period in question to discuss ; and of these I Avid now proceed to speak .

The existing Avails of Jerusalem , especially on the east , mark the various epochs at Avhich they Avere built . At their base I recognise the ivork of Solomon ' s period : higher up , some portions of the Avails as rebuilt after the captivitj " . Other parts shoAV the refined Avorkmanship of the Horodian age , Avhile Roman and Saracenic work is not rare . The character of the Solomonic Avails ,

arc alluded to by Flavins Josephus ( bookxv . chap . 31 , 3 ) , I recognised , on examining the stones forming tho foundation of the actual Avails of Jerusalem , on the east , on Avhich side I made deep excavations , in order to satisfy myself of the fact . Tho large stones composing the foundations A'ary in length , and are squared Avith some degree of exactitude . Thoy have a smooth

border round ; the ' rustication , about 2-J inches Avide . Tho rustication itself projects about 3 inches . The stones are joined together by means of mortices cut in the stones , or by cubical clamps of lead and iron , but no sort of cement is apparent . Above tho foundation , stones are seen in relief ; hence , those portions of tho Avail in which the courses of verticil ] and horizontal stones aro

uniform and AVCII joined , I call Solomonic ; but Avhero the const-ruction is irregular , and tho external surface of the stones shows tho mortices for the tenons , or for the clamp , I assign them to the epoch subsequent to tho

Architecture Of Palestine From The Earliest Times To The Crusades.

captivity . At that period the Avails were rebuilt in tho greatest haste to resist the attacks of an enemy who might appear at any moment , as Ave find from the Book of Nohemiah . Hence the inequality in their construction ancl the laying of the stones face downwards . The rusticationthen . I attribute to SclomonAA'ho

un-, , doubtedly employed it in a rough state in the foundations , as is clearly apparent ; ancl also in the building of the toAvers ; and , more finely executed , in the construction of the rest of the Avail of the enclosure . The reason Avhy so few remains of external Avails of Solomon ' s time are to bo seen may be found in the devastations of fire , Vandalismsuccessive repairsand the neAV conformation

, , given to the stones during the period of Herod and Justinian . This I shall pz-esciitly point out , and show that Herod himself employed rustication in some parts of his fortifications . Speaking of the ivorking of the stones of Avhich the Temple Avas built , Josephus remarks that they were polished and joined together in such a way that it Avas

impossible to discover the joins . Ofafchis no vestige remains in Jerusalem . Time , fire , and man have never spared the eternal city , ancl Ave are compelled to turn elsewhere for other relics which evidence science and

genius . Solomon's B , cservoirs in Etham . To the south of Bethlehem , ancl at an honrs ' s distance from it , upon the Avest side of fche road lvhich leads to Hebron , stands a ruined MediroA'al castle . This ruin looks as if it stood sentinel over three largo reservoirs , Avhich arc not only , Avithout doubt , the grandest work existing in Palestine ; but arc alsoindubitablof hih

, y , g antiquity , ancl may safely be assigned to the Solomonic era , in accordance Avith tradition . It is remarkable that neither the Bible nor Josephus directly describes them . The latter , however , in his " Antiquities " ( viii . 7 , 3 ) , mentions a city called Etham , Avhere was erected the summer palace of Solomon , of Avhich the rabbis give so loAving a description . It is probablthis palace which

g y is referred fco inEcclesiasfcesiii . 4 , 5 , 6 . Ofthe magnificent grounds nothing remains bufc some land under excellent cultivation by Mr . Meshnllam . This spot , Avhich is situate to the east of the reservoirs , and in the northern continuation of tho valley , retains the name of the enclosed garden ( Can ., 4 , 12 ) , in honour of Solomon . At various times , among others in May , 1861 .,

Meshnllam , in digging the ground for cultivation , has mot Avith the remains of ancient Avails , reservoirs , and aqueducts cut in the rock . The three groat basins aro situate hi the valley of

Etham , Avhich runs down from Avest to east Avith a very steep slope . They arc fed by the rain-water that flows doAvn from the two sides of the mountains , and from a fountain situate to the Avest of fche castle , 'in adirecfcline to its northern side , at a distance of about 450 feet . I state this because the entrance to the fountain , Avhich is circular in form , is hidden by stones . and difficult to

find . Solomon probably alludes to this very fountain in his song ( iv ., 12 ) , and ifc is stilled called the Sealed Fountain . All the three reservoirs are cut out of the solid rock . In some parts they still retain a cement so hard that twenty-nine centuries have been unable to exercise any destructive force upon it . It seems perfectly clear that the primaay object of the construction of these

reservoirs was the supply of Jerusalem with water , as Mount Moriah is at the present time supplied , in consequence of restorations directed by myself . It is a subject of great regret that the repairs which have several times been executed are never suffered to continue long undisturbed , because the shepherds , Eellahs , or peasantsand Bedouinscontinualldestroy portions

, , y of the conduit , in order to procure the Avater for them OAVU private Avants ; ancl it is difficult in an Arab country to maintain a proper Avatch over a circuitous line of about 15 , 000 yards . However solemnly the guardians may promise to fulfil the duties Avhich they undertake ,