Architecture Of Palestine From The Earliest Times To The Crusades.

examine them . Some masses of ruins , some trunk of collumns , walls , solid foundations , sepulchres built or embellished , and the basements of towers , but no one entire edifice , nor any ornamented one . Ifc is undeniable that Palestine is a sepulchre of edifices , as of individuals . In Jerusalem AVO findbelonging to this lorious porch

, g , some portions , of the wall surrounding Moriah , on tho eastern and Avestern sides ; the entire plan of the construction of tho Phazaelus ; some feiv remnants of the solid masonry of the ToAver of Psephinus ; the remains of tAvo others Avhich flank the North Gate ; the existing sub-basement of the Damascus Grate , Avhich I discovered in March 1861 : finallthe embellishments added to the

, y , sepulchres of the Valley of Jehosaphat , to the north and south . Of all these mention has been made by those who have Avritten upon Jerusalem doAvn to the present time . Little , therefore , remains for us to say ; and I Avill be as brief as possible . I accept the opinion of Mr .

Williams that it is the Appic ToAver Avhich remains on the Avest of the Castle of David , and that of Phazaelus on the east . The latter preserves the architectural type of a Herodian tower , as described by Josephus ( book v . 4 , 2 ) . It is based upon the rock , Avhich rises 5 feet above fche level of the ground , and is covered with masonry of large rusticated stones . Here I observe that

Herod , in his fortifications , made use of the Solomonic level , as I coulcl plainly perceive in Herodium , Cesarea , and other places . The Jcivish Avail rises 31 feet 6 inches above the side ofthe fosse . Each course of stones recedes by five lines from the base upAvards . I Avould however , remark that in the interior it is 11 foot thick , relatively to the level of tbe cast trenchAvhich is 14 feet

upper , deep , and measures 40 cubits on each side , reckoning the cubit at about 18 incbes . Ifc is , then , the same Tower of Phazael described by the historian , ivho tell us that Titus ( "Wars of the JCAVS , " 7 , 11 ) Avould have it preserved to show the kind of towers that fortified tbe city which he

had taken by his armies . Some may object that Joseph us mentions a cistern , and this is not to lie found . But would it be possible to preserve it , in accordance AA'ith the system of fortification in use in tho Middle Ages ? I think not . I meet Avith nothing in opposition to the idea that the cistern Avas destroyed in order to gain a clear space of about 20 cubic feefc , w'hich would be valuable

when soldiers required to be lodged there . It is unnecessary to draw attention to the other tOAVcrs AA'hich flank the Damascus Gate , and which I discovered by means of excavations . With the exception that they arc of smaller dimensions , they differ in no respect from those already described . I may , however , say thafc the gate Avhich I discoveredand which I call the North Gate

, ( Josephus , " Wars of the Jews , " 5 , 42 ) , is 12- feet- Avidc , and 26 feet high , with a round arch . The stones comliosing the jambs and the arch are of large dimensions ; and this discovery is not so important in an architectural point of A'iew as ou account of the ancient city Avails of of Herod ' s time . Ifc is one of the most interesting points

in support of my opinion , that the Avails on the north did not extend beyond the present Avails . Nofc to dwell for ever upon the subject of Avails , I -will avoid going farther into the matter hero : but I ivill remark that the ancient portions on the eastern side of Moriah , like those at the Jews' Waiting-place , appear to me to bear the Herodian character . I am far from adopting the opinion of M .

de Saulcy , member of the Institute of France , Avho beleieA'cs j . hem to be Solomonic . Their construction shows great perfection , on account of beauty of the materials employed , the regularity of their arrangement , and the A'ertical joints Avhich rest upon the middle of the corresponding stones in the loAver ' and upper courses ; nothing of Avhich is seen nearly so admirably

executed in the Avails styled Solomonic . In the latter , aristic genius just developing itself is observable : in the former , genius seems to have attained its full groivth .

Architecture Of Palestine From The Earliest Times To The Crusades.

The Golden Gate , to the east of Moriah , is judged to be Herodian from its ornaments ; but I am not of that opinion . I knoAV that the Temple and its Avails were destroyed by the Romans ; and ifc seems to me impossible that this gate , with its ornamentation , should have escaped the devastation . Its jambs are formed of stones square and not levelled . They of themselvestherefore

, , furnish proof of having been mortised iu the old AA'alh The ornamented arches are cased Avith Roman masonry .. HOAV then is it possible to suppose them Herodian ? Those Avho take this vieAv do so because tho lintels aud architraA'es of fche doors are formed of enormous blocks . Ifc is true that this material is Herodian , and this has led to the erroneous induction . I bclieA-e that these blocks

are remaining portions of the ancient Eastern Gate ; and ; that to them the more recent construction has been applied , formed upon the same plan as the ancient gate . I think so because the foundation Avail have been discovered , and because it is said , in fcho Mishna , that the

Eastern Gate Avas 40 cubits long and 20 Avide , and these are exactly its dimensions . We Avill now visit the sepulchres in thsmeighbourhood of Jerusalem . I unhesitatingly confess that I belieA'e the ornamentation of all of them to be of later date than their original construction , and am of opinion that it was added during the Herodian period . I might maintain

that the Sepulchres of the Kings Avere formed by order of'that great sovereign for himself and his descendants ; but what proofs have Ave in support of this idea ? I hope M . do Saulcy Avill not hear me , since he attributes them to the era of tho kings of Judah , to Avhich epoch it AA'as necessary that he should trace them , Avhen he Avas leased to characterize the sarcophagus taken from them

p as that of David , in order that ho might deposit it in triumph at the Louvre , in Paris . By parity of reasoning , I have met AA'ith the sarcophagi of Solomon and Rchoboam , one of Avhich is , in fact , broken into fragments , Avhile the other serves as a receptacle for Avater in the Hall of Justice at Jerusalem .

Let ; us IIOAV examine some of the sepulchres in detail . That of Absalom is a cubical monolith , measuring 21 feefc on each side . Ionic columns support an entablature on lamented Avith Doric triglyphs and pateras . Above this frieze is an Egyptian cornice , at Avhich point the monolith ceases . The AA'hole of tho upper is in masonry . It is composed of a- square dadosurmounted ba

, y cylinder , Avhich is terminated by a torus , representing an enormous tAvisted cable : the whole is completed by a kind of pyramid , of curved conical form , finish ivith a bouquet of palm-leaves . The total height ofthe monument is 53 feet . It exhibits , therefore , a mixture of the Greek and Egyptian styles .

Herod was of Idumean origin , it Avill be remembered . In Idumca are some monuments Avhich recall Absalom ' s to mind . At the norfch-Avcst corner of the A'ostibule , cut in the rock Avhich surrounds the Tome of Absalom , is a rich pediment , ornamented Avith acroters and foliage . That of the Jeivs , to the north of Jerusalem , is of the same description .

The outer portion of the sepulchre of St . James is supported by tAvo columns and tAvo dcinipilastcrs of the Doric order , connected by an architrave , above Avhich is a Doric fascia , ornamented Avith triglyphs , ancl surmounted by a cornice . Iu tho Haceldema , to the south ofthe city , a facsimile of this is seen . The sepulchre of Zachariah is a monolith , each of tho sides of Avhich

measures 18 feefc in Avidfch . It is ornamented AA'ith tAvo columns in the centre , and two half-columns inserted in a pilaster at the angles . Above is a simple architrave , surmounted by an Egyptian cornice , like that of the sepulchre of Absalom . The AA'hole is surmounted by a quadrangular equilateral pyramid . The total height of the monument is 19 foot . It is to be observed that the eastern side still shoivs the rough-hewn Avork , and on the north ifc is nofc completely finished .