From information and plans kindly communicated to me by Mr. Catherwood, who with his companions examined and measured these subterranean structures without hindrance in 1833, it appears that these vaults, so far as they are now accessible to strangers, were originally formed by some fifteen rows of square pillars measuring about five feet on a side, built of large bevelled stones, and extending from the southern wall northwards to an unknown extent. The intervals between the rows are usually, though not entirely, regular; and the pillars of some of the ranges are of a somewhat larger size. In each row the pillars are connected together by semicircular arches; and then the vault, resting upon every two rows, is formed by a lower arch, consisting of a smaller segment of a circle. The circumstance mentioned by Richardson, that the pillars have a much older appearance than the arches which they support, was not noticed by the three artists. From the entrance at the S. E. corner of the Haram for about one hundred and twenty feet westward, these ranges of vaults extend northwards nearly two hundred feet; where they are shut up by a wall of more modern date. For about one hundred and fifty feet further West, the vaults are closed up in like manner at less than a hundred feet from the southern wall; and to judge from the wells and openings above ground, it would seem as if they had thus been walled up, in order that the northern portion of them might be converted into cisterns. Beyond this part, towards the West, they again extend still further North. They are here terminated on the West, before reaching el-Aksa,' by a like wall filling up the intervals of one of the rows of pillars.

1) The distance from the S. E. corner of the Haram to the eastern wall of el-Aksa, according to Mr. Catherwood's plans, is about 475

How much further

feet; while from the same corner to the western side of the vaults now open to visitors, is only about 320 feet.

Wall of the Haram.

can be little question, that this is the ane mentioned by Josephus, in the middle of ern side of the temple-area. It may have cted, or at least decorated by Herod; and rebuilt by Adrian or at the same time with ch under Justinian. At present the floor of ut fifteen or twenty feet above the ground on side. Probably an external flight of steps ly connected it with the part of the city below. resent southern wall, here wholly modern, encovers this gateway from view; so that a permerely looking at the outside, would have no ion of its existence; although to one already inted with it, certain traces in the wall serve to its place. This is just on the East of the spot, e the city-wall, coming up from the South, meets vall of the Haram; it is consequently very near middle of the southern side of the ancient templeAt present neither this gateway, nor the pase leading down to it, have any communication h the vaults above described. The existence of s ancient gateway goes to confirm indubitably the ew already taken, that the present southern wall of e Haram occupies the identical site of the same wall the ancient temple-area.2

L.

The crypts too are doubtless ancient; and may be referred, partly perhaps to the vaulted substructions which were built up, or very probably only repaired, for the area of Justinian's church;3 and partly either

The

1) Joseph. Ant. XV. 11. 5.
2) See above, p. 428.
reader, I am sure, will join with
me in thanking Mr. Catherwood
for this very specific and valu-
able information respecting the
vaults and this subterranean gate-
way. The very existence of such
a gate now becomes known to the
public for the first time. Besides
the preceding plan of the vaults,

the same gentleman has in his possession similar measurements and plans of the subterranean and golden gateways; as well as of both the mosks el-Aksa and esSukhrah, and of the Haram in general. It is greatly to be desired, that these too may be given to the public.

3) See above, p. 439.

they originally extended westward, is unknown; not improbably quite to the western wall of the enclosure, where are now said to be immense cisterns.1

The ground in these vaults rises rapidly towards the North; the southernmost columns with the double arches being about thirty-five feet in height; while those in the northern parts are little more than ten feet high. The surface of the ground is everywhere covered with small heaps of stones; the memorials of innumerable pilgrims who have here paid their devotions. It is a singular circumstance, that the roots of the large olive-trees growing upon the area of the Haram above, have in many places forced their way down through the arches, and still descending have again taken root in the soil at the bottom of the vaults. -The accompanying plan of these vaults is from the skilful pencil of Mr. Catherwood; and was made out from his own very full and exact measurements.

At about thirty feet in front of el-Aksa, just on the East of its principal porch or door, a passage leads down by steps through the pavement and under the mosk, and continues to descend partly by steps and partly without, until it terminates in a noble ancient gateway adjacent to the southern wall of the enclosure. This gateway is forty-two feet in breadth by fifty or sixty feet in length from South to North. It is described by Mr. Catherwood as entirely similar in its character and architecture to the Golden Gateway spoken of above, except that it would seem to be of a somewhat earlier date; the same groined roof and marble columns of the Corinthian order, indicating a Roman origin or at least a Roman style. Like that too it is a double gateway; and the middle row of columns extends up through the whole passage.

1) The vaults described by Maundrell would seem to have been on the west of el-Aksa.

2) See the description of the Golden Gateway above, p. 437.