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.

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.

There can be little question, that this is the ancient gate mentioned by Josephus, in the middle of the southern side of the temple-area. It may have been erected, or at least decorated by Herod; and perhaps rebuilt by Adrian or at the same time with the church under Justinian. At present the floor of it is about fifteen or twenty feet above the ground on the outside. Probably an external flight of steps originally connected it with the part of the city below. The present southern wall, here wholly modern, entirely covers this gateway from view; so that a person by merely looking at the outside, would have no suspicion of its existence; although to one already acquainted with it, certain traces in the wall serve to mark its place. This is just on the East of the spot, where the city-wall, coming up from the South, meets the wall of the Haram; it is consequently very near the middle of the southern side of the ancient templearea. At present neither this gateway, nor the passage leading down to it, have any communication with the vaults above described.-The existence of this ancient gateway goes to confirm indubitably the view already taken, that the present southern wall of the Haram occupies the identical site of the same wall of the ancient temple-area.2

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; and partly either

1) Joseph. Ant. XV. 11. 5.

2) See above, p. 428. The reader, I am sure, will join with me in thanking Mr. Catherwood for this very specific and valuable information respecting the vaults and this subterranean gateway. 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.

to Herod, or with greater probability to a still earlier date. Herod indeed appears not to have meddled to any great extent with the substructions of the temple; except perhaps so far as to construct a subterraneous passage to it from the fortress Antonia. In doing this he doubtless made use in part of older vaults or excavations; and we know from Josephus, that such existed in connection with the temple. This historian relates, that near the close of the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, Simon, one of the Jewish tyrants in the upper city, withdrew with a company of friends and stone-cutters, furnished with tools and provisions, into a subterraneous cavern, with the hope of being able through connecting passages and by occasional mining, to make their escape without the walls of the city. In this purpose however they were frustrated; their provisions failed; and after Titus had departed from the city, Simon, arraying himself in white and purple, emerged from the ground on the spot where the temple had stood, in the vain hope of terrifying the guards who were there stationed, and thus making his escape. He was however seized, and reserved for the triumph of Titus.-This account implies at least, that there had been subterranean vaults or passages beneath the temple, corresponding to the cavati sub terra montes of Tacitus.3

Of the living fountain deep under the site of the temple, mentioned perhaps by Aristaeus and apparently referred to by Tacitus, I shall speak in another place, in treating of the waters of Jerusalem.

1) See above, p. 418. Joseph. Antiq. XV. 11. 7.

2) Joseph. B. J. VII. c. 2.

3) Hist. V. 12, "Templum in modum arcis,-fons perennis aquae, cavati sub terra montes, et piscinae cisternaeque servandis imbribus.” See generally on this subject an

Essay of J. D. Michaelis, which exhibits much more of hypothesis than of proof, entitled: Von den Gewölbern unter dem Berge Zion und des Tempels, in his Zerstreute kl. Schriften, p. 427, seq. Münter Antiquarische Abhandlungen, p. 87, seq.