A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

John McClintock & James Strong • SECTION 1158

Section 1158

← McClintock & Strong Cyclopaedia — Volume 4

JERUSALEM

857

JERUSALEM

upper part is, indeed, modern, but the lower part is built of larger stones, bevelled at the edges, and apparently still occupying their original places. This tower has been singled out by the Franks, and bears among them the name of tlie tower of David, while they sometimes give to the whole fortress the name of the castle of Da- vid. Taking all the circumstances into account, Dr. Robinson thinks that the anticpie lower portion of this tower is in all probability a remnant of the tower of Hippicus, which, as Josephus states, was left standing by Titus when he destroyed the city. This discovery, liowever, is not new, the identity having been advoca- ted bj' liaumer and others before Dr. IJobinson traielled. This view has been somewhat modified by Mr. Williams, who shows that the north-westti-ii angle of the present citadel exactly corresponds in size and position to the description of Josephus, while other portions of the same general structure have been rebuilt upon the old foun- dations of the adjoining towers of Mariamne and Pha- saelus {Iloh) City, ii, l-i-lG).

Ihc L i-tle t)iUi\ 1 The present Damascus gite m partuuhr fr m its massive style and other circumstances, seems to have occupied a prominent point along the ancient " second wall" of the city. Connected with its structures are the immense underground quarries, on which, as well as out

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Plan of Quarries under Jerusalem.

o/'which, the city may be said to be built. From them have been hewn, in past ages, the massive limetone blocks which apjjcar in the walls and elsewhere. In these dark chambers one may, with the help of torches, wander for hours, scrambling over mounds of rubbish ; now climbing into one chamber, now descending into another, noting the various cuttings, grooves, cleavages and hammer-marks; and wondering at the different shapes — bars here, slices there, boulders there, thrown up together in utter confusion. Only in one corner do we find a few drippings of water and a tiny spring; for these singular excavations, like the great limestone cave at Khureitun (beyond Bethlehem, probably Adullam), are entirely free from damp ; and though the only bit of intercourse with the ujiper air is by the small twenty- inch hole at the Damascus-gate, through which the en- terprising traveller wriggles into them like a serpent, yet the air is fresh and somewhat warm (Stewart's Tent and Khan, p. 2Go-20(!\ These are no doubt the subter- ranean retreats referred to by Josephus as occupied by

: ^ the despairing Jews in the last

\ days of Jerusalem ( War, vi, 7, 3 ; vi, 8, 4) ; and to which Tas- so alludes when relating the wizard's promise to conduct the " Soldan" through God- frey's leaguer into the heart of the city {Gems. Liber.x,29). The native name for the quar- ries is Jlciffhuret el-Kottan, the Cotton Cave. For a full de- scription of these caverns, see Barclay, Citii of the Great King, p.4C0sq.; Thoms.on, Land and /)'ooZ-,ii,491 sq. ; Wilson in the Ordnance Sui^cey (18G5, p. G3). 4. The following desmpiion of the present city is chiefly aliridgcd from the excellent account of Dr. Olin {Travels, Vol. ii, chap. iv). The general view of the city from the Mt. of 01i\es is mentioned more or less by all travellers as that from which they derive their most distinct and abiding impression of Jerusalem.

The summit of the Mount of Olives is about half a mile east from the city, which it completely overlooks, every considerable edifice and al- most every house being visible. The city, seen from this point, ap- pears t(i be a regular inclined plain, sloi)ing gently and uniformly from wist lo east, or towards the ob- server, and indented by a slight (k'liression or shallow vale, run- ning nearly through the centre in the same direction. The south- east corner of the quadrangle — for that may be assumed as the figure formed by the rocks — that which is nearest to the obsers-er, is occii- l)ied l>y the mosque of Omar and its extensive and beautiful grounds. This is Mount Moriah, the site of Solomon's Temple ; and the ground embraced in this inclosure occu- pies about an eighth of the whole modern city. It is covered with greensward, and planted sparingly with olive, cypress, and other trees, and it is certainly the most lovely feature of the town, whether we have reference to the splendid structures or the beautiful lawn spread out around them.

The south-west quarter, em- bracing that part of Mount Zion

JERUSALEM

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JERUSALEM

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Map of Modem Jerusalem.

which is within the modem town, is to a great ex- tent occupied by the Armenian convent, an enormous edifice, which is the only conspicuous object in this neighborhood. The north-west is largely occupied by the Latin convent, another very extensive establish- ment. About midway between these two convents is the castle or citadel, close to the Bethlehem-gate, al- ready mentioned. The north-east quarter of Jerusalem is but partially built up, and it has more the aspect of a rambling agricultural village than that of a crowded city. The vacant sjiots here are green with gardens and olive-trees. Tliere is another large vacant tract along the southern wall, and west of the Haram, also covered with verdure. Near the centre of the city also appear two or three green sjiots, which are small gar- dens. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the only conspicuous edifice in this vicinity, and its domes are striking objects. There are no buildings which, either

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