added three others for the women, one upon the North, South and East. On the West there was no gate.1 Within this second court, was still the third or most sacred enclosure, which none but the priests might enter; consisting of the Naos or temple itself, and the small court before it, where stood the altar. To this there was an ascent from the second court by twelve steps. It was this Naos, or the body of the temple alone, which was rebuilt by Herod; who also built over again some of the magnificent porticos around the area. But no mention is made of his having had any thing to do with the massive walls of the exterior enclosure.3 We have already seen, that on the West side of this great outer court, four gates led out into the city; the southernmost of which opened upon the bridge connecting the area of the temple with the Xystus on Mount Zion. Josephus relates also, that there was a gate in the middle of the southern side of the same enclosure. Further than this, our present object does not require us to enter into a description of the temple or its appurtenances. If now, with these accounts before us, we turn our eyes upon the present similar area of the grand mosk of Omar, it would seem to be hardly a matter of question, that the latter occupies in part or in whole the same general location. But how far there exist traces which may serve to mark a connection between the ancient and modern precincts, or perhaps establish their identity, is a point which, so far as I know, has 5. 2. 5. 4. 1) Antiq. XV. 11, 5. B. J. V. 2) Antiq. XV. 11. 5, ult. B. J. V. 3) Antiq. XV. 11. 3. B. J. I. 21. 1. When Josephus here says that Herod enlarged the area around the temple to double its former size, he probably refers to the adjacent fortress Antonia, as mentioned above at the close of the preceding paragraph. 4) See above, pp. 412, 413 Jos. Ant. XV. 11. 5. never been discussed. It is to this point mainly, that our inquiries will now be directed. The area of the great mosk is an elevated plateau or terrace, nearly in the form of a parallelogram, supported by and within massive walls built up from the vallies or lower ground on all sides; the external height varying of course in various parts according to the nature of the ground, but being in general greatest towards the South. The area or court within these walls is level; exhibiting on the North of the mosk, as we have seen, and probably around the same, the surface of the native rock levelled off by art.' The general construction therefore of this area, does not differ from that of the ancient temple. The length of this enclosure on the East side, measured externally along the wall, is 1,528 English feet or nearly 510 yards; the breadth at the S. end is 955 feet or about 318 yards. Neither the western side nor the northern end is accessible externally; yet the latter may be measured approximately along the parallel street. Its length is thus found to be not far from 1,060 feet, or perhaps 350 yards; the breadth of the area being here some yards greater than on the South. The direction of the eastern side, taken from the S. E. corner, is due North by compass; and that of the southern side, due West. The course of the western wall at its S. end is likewise due North. Beyond the area towards the North, the eastern wall of the city deviates slightly from the magnetic meridian towards the East.-From these measurements it is apparent, that the extent of the present area is much greater than that assigned by Josephus to the ancient one. 1) See above, p. 361. 2) Ali Bey gives the interior length of the enclosure at 1,369 interior Paris feet; and the els II. p. 215. The S. E. corner of the enclosure stands directly on the very brink of the steep descent, and impends over the Valley of Jehoshaphat; which, as we have seen, is at this point about 130 feet deep; while just North the ground rises some 20 feet more. The height of the wall at this angle we judged to be at least 60 English feet. Further North as the ground ascends, the wall is less elevated above it. The brow of the valley also advances a little, leaving a narrow strip of level ground along the wall, which is occupied by the Muslim cemetery already mentioned.? Towards the Gate of St. Stephen, this level brow widens to about 100 feet, and continues of this breadth along the city-wall northwards. The Golden Gate on this side is not opposite the middle of the area; but at some distance further North. On the northern side, the area is skirted for nearly half its breadth by the deep pool or trench usually called Bethesda, and vaults connected with it. At the N. E. corner is a place of entrance, and a way leading to it from St. Stephen's Gate along the city-wall. Further West and near the middle, are two other entrances from the Via dolorosa. At the N. W. corner stands what was formerly the governor's house, now converted into a barrack, and probably occupying in part the site of the ancient fortress Antonia. From the roof of this building is obtained a commanding view of the interior and the edifices of the court.3 The western wall is mostly hidden by the houses of the city, except near its southern end. There are 1) There are here fifteen courses of very large stones, having an average thickness of more than three feet. Above these to the top is at least fifteen feet more.-The wall, I since learn, was measured at this point by Mr. Catherwood. The actual height is sixty feet to 2) See above, p. 343. on this side four entrances, to which streets lead down from the city. These streets, after crossing the hollow or valley which here runs parallel to the wall, lead up an ascent to the places of entrance; some of which are reached by steps. Near the N. W. corner, this ascent is of course smaller than it is further South. Near the S. W. corner, the wall is again exposed, and is not less than about sixty feet in height. The wall on the South is the highest of all; for here the ground appears originally to have sloped down more rapidly from the top of Moriah than in any other part. This wall was apparently built, not on the brow of a valley, but on the side of a declivity, which descended steeply for a time, and then ran off in a more gradual slope, forming the ridge of Ophel. Here we judged the wall of the enclosure to be in general about sixty feet in height.' At the distance of 290 feet S. of this wall, the city-wall runs for a time parallel to it; then, turning at a right angle, the city-wall rises by a considerable ascent, and joins the high wall of the area, in the manner already described, at a point 325 feet distant from the S. W. corner. This leaves here a tolerably level plat of ground between the two walls, nearly square, said to belong to the mosk el-Aksa. It was now a ploughed field.2 Here however the earth has evidently been filled in, in order to render the plat level; for the city-wall on the South, which within is very low, measures on the outside fifty feet in height. This gives 110 feet for the proximate elevation of the southern wall of the area of the mosk above the exterior base of the parallel city-wall. On this side, viewed externally, there 1) There are here eight courses of stones having an average thickness of at least 3 feet; and above these are 24 smaller courses, each apparently from 1 foot to 1 feet thick. 2) See above, p. 351. would seem never to have been a place of entrance or access to the court above. Yet Josephus makes mention here of a gate in the middle of the southern side of the area; and we shall hereafter see, that an ancient subterranean gateway still exists under the mosk el-Aksa, with a passage to it from above, but walled up on the outside.1 Allusion has already been made to the immense size of the stones, which compose in part the external walls of the enclosure of the mosk.2 The upper part of these walls is obviously of modern origin; but to the most casual observer it cannot be less obvious, that these huge blocks which appear only in portions of the lower part, are to be referred to an earlier date.3 The appearance of the walls in almost every part, seems to indicate that they have been built up on ancient foundations; as if an ancient and far more massive wall had been thrown down, and in later times a new one erected upon its remains. Hence the line between these lower antique portions and the modern ones above them, is very irregular; though it is also very distinct. The former, in some parts, are much higher than in others; and occasionally the breaches in them are filled out with later patch-work. Sometimes too the whole wall is modern. We first noticed these large stones at the S. E. corner of the enclosure; where perhaps they are as conspicuous, and form as great a portion of the wall, as in any part. Here are several courses, both on the East and South sides, alternating with each other, in which the stones measure from 17 to 19 feet in length, by 3 or 4 feet in height; while one block at the corner is 7 feet thick. Here also, on the East side, the 1) Joseph. Antiq. XV. 11. 5. of many travellers, judging merely from the aspect of the stones. See Raumer's Palästina, p. 290. Ed. 2. |