I'laced in such a position, it ^viII be fonnd that the levels of the courts, as descriltd in the Mishna and by Jos., agree throughout with the actuaj levels. In no part does tlie rock rise or fall so 03 to render it necessary to supiKjse foundations of more than 2 or 3 ft. The SaKlirah itself may be that 'stone of foundation' (Ehcn hwsh-ShUhiynh) which supported the Holy of Holies, and was said to be the foundation of the world (.Mishna, Jotwi V. 3, Tamiil i. 1) sealing the mouth of the abyss — a legend which still attaches to the Sakhrah and its cave. Under the altar there wa-s no hollow place (Talm. IJab. Zehahim 5S(i), anil its position would agree with a part of the yaram where there are no vaults. The gate Tadi or 'hiding' (Midilotk i. 3) was reached by an underground passage from tlie N. side of the i'lner cloister, and remains of such a juvssage exint N. of the Sakhrah. On the S. siao was the Chamlwr ol the Draw-well, and on this side there Is an existing lank in the required |K)sitioii. The Altar Court was 6 ciibil.s lower than the fl(K>r of ti>i> Tcmplt (or at a level of alniut "2432 ft. above the MeJiter.),
coo
ji:rusalem
JERUSALEM
and tlie <rreat Court of vhe Women, farther E., was ii;.'ain 7A cubits lower (or about 242"2 ft. above llie saiiic (latum), but on the S. and N. the Altar Court was only 5 cubits above the outer level, wliich would therefore be about 242(i ft. above the datum — these levels depending on the number of steji.i, each half a cubit high, noticed in tlio Mi.shna (jUiVWo^A) and by Jos. ( ITars, v. v.). On applying the plan to the ground it is found that, in each ca.se, the levels so obtained agree exactly with the actual levels, as shown by the present author in 1879 (Condor's Handbook to the Bible, last chapter).
The details given in the Mishna (Middotk) suffice to enable us to draw a block plan of Herod's Temple. The exact arrangements of the gateways and cloisters can only be conjectured, but tfie enclosure, which is said to have been 500 cubits square, surrounded the inner courts, which no Gentile might enter. The Priests' Court, which surrounded the Holy House, and included the great altar to its east, measured 135 cubits N. and S. by 137 E. and W. On the E. was tlie great gate Nicanor, leading to the 'Court of the Women,' which was 13i5 cubits square. Between this and the Court of the Priests a narrow plat- form (11 cubits wide), having beneath it (Midd. ii. 6) chambers opening into the ' Women's Court,' was called the ' Court of Isr.,' and reserved for men only, who formed a representative congregation of Israel. The women were confined to galleries in the Women's Court, which was the general meeting-place of the Jews. Immediately outside these courts a fence (soreg) surrounded the Temple, and inscriptions in Gr. (one of which has been recovered) forbade any Gentile to enter on pain of death. The Holy House itself (hekal) in- cluded a porch (aula) and the Holy of Holies. The latter was 20 cubits square, and the Holy Place 40 cubits long by 20 broad (as in Solomon's Temple). The porch was 100 cubits broad N. and S., and the total length of the building was 100 cubits E. and W., the breadth of the main part being 70 cubits, including the chambers to N., S., and E. , and the outer gallery [impluviuin] be5'ond them on N. and S. The height of the porch was 100 cubits, and that of the main building 45 cubits with a flat roof. A second storey appears to have existed, above the Holy Place and Holy of Holies, its roof 100 cubits from the ground. The gTeat gate of the porch was 20 cuhits broad and 40 cubits high, and over it were five oak beams to which apparently the golden vine was nailed. There were apparently two veils — one to the outer gate, one to the doonvay of the Holy Place, and these were annually renewed. The surrounding chambers, in three storeys, numbered 38 in all. A stairway in the impluvium, on the N., led to the roofs. Twelve steps led down, on the E., to the Priests' Court. In this stood the altar, of rubble and mortar, 32 cubits square at the founda- tion, which was 1 cubit high. The main part above was 30 cubits square and 5 cubits high ; the hearth was 28 cubits square ; the total height of the altar was 10 cubits, with four ' horns ' at the angles. The sloping ascent on the S. was 16 cubits broad and 32 cubits long, leading to the foot of the hearth. The Court of the Priests had three gates to the N. and three to the S. The E. gate on the N. was called Nitzotz, and had an exhedra, the N.W. gate Moked had fo\ir cham- bers at the sides, where the Temple guard of priests kept watch. An underground passage led K. to Tadi, the gate near Antonia, and also to the latrines. On the S. the W. gate was named Aptinas, or, otherwise, the Water Gate, tJie two otners being the Gate of the Ollering and the Gate of Flaming. On the E. 15 steps led down