The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-11-03
EXCAVATIONS AT JERUSALEM

rection Of those who control the opal
estine Exploration Fund" are Of much
interest. Excavations have now been
in progress for nearly three years. In
spite OF obstacles thrown in the way
by the ignorance, stupidity and Gun
ming OF the Orientials; in spite Of
perils from falling stones and poison
Gus air, freezing waters and sntfocat-
ing heat; iii spite Of the superst:tions
OF Turkish dighitaries, the results
thus far reached are satisfactory. In
fact, Typographical controversies cen
turies old have been settled by posi-
tive discoveries. As an example Of
the Moseium stupidity which the cx-
plorers had to encounter, take the
objections of the Pasha of Jerusalem,
q weil-educated military man, not
wanting in brains. lie assured Cap
tain Warren that it was unnecessary
to dig about the Holy City to settle
archaeological doubts. Mohainmcdan
traditions were all sufficient, he said
"Sakhra," the sacred rock, lay on the
top leaves Of a palm tree, from the
roots of which sprang all rivers. To
pry into such matters, he thought,
was q sure precursor Of dire calamity.
The excavations proceeded, neverthc-
less.
Jerusalem is built on ridge of
rock which is the backbone Of Pal
estine. 1t is approached only by
rough mountain roads. The position
has great natural strength. 1t is at
the present time surrounded by
massive, yell-built wall. Five OF the
city gates are open; five arc closed.
All of them are ancient.
THE TEMPLES or SOLOMON AND
uEgoD.
Upon Mount Moriah there is a
large open space, studded with
olive and cypress trees, and surround
ed with perhaps the finest scenery in
the world. In the centre Of this area
rises Sakhra, the mosque, with its sur
passingly beautiful dome. This
mosque Christians call the "uoly
Sanctuary" Within the same area
once stood the temple of Solomon
and that erected by Herod. All
traces OF both disappeared ages ago,
and the exact positions occupied by
them have for years been tiercely con-
tested points III regard To the topog-
raphy Of Jerusalem Was Solomon's
| Temple co-existent with the Sanctua-
ry! Was it confined to square OF
six hundred feet in the southwest
corner! Or was il placed elsewhere,
in what is now the great open space:
These questions excavations can only
answer. 1t is certain that that .Stod
Basiiica, built by Herod, stood on
the southern wall More than this
we do not yet know.
Within the sanctuary inclosed and
under it's solid floors it has hitherto
been supposed that there were water
springs. Such is-found not to be the
fact, but on the contrary, the whole
mount is honeycombed with series
OF remarkable rock-hewn ciste-ns, il
which the water, brought by an aque.
duct from Solomon's Pools near Beth
lchem, was stored. These cisterns
are connected by system of chan.
ncls cut out OF rock, so that when ono
was full, the surplus water ran into
the next, until the final overflow was
carried off to the kcdron. One o.
these cisterns has a capacity of two
million gallons, and the total mum
Der OF gallons that could be stored il
all the cisterns exceeded ten millions
And yet, with the gigantic means o.
supplying the city with water, which
at no extravagant expense might al
any time have been made available
the dependence of the inhabitants fol
a thousand years has been upon els
terms, which receive the rainfall from
the roofs of houses and the gullies o
) streets.
THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY sEpUL
cHRE.
Next to the sanctuary, in point o
. interest, is the Church of the Hol,
Sepulchre, said to contain within it!
walls the tomb of our Lord. 1t i
situated in what is called the Chris
tian quarter of the town, at consid
cradle distance from the Sanctuary
The Authenticity of the Holy Sepul
.. chre has been the subject of fierce
dispute for many ages. The disput
is not settled, though much progress
has been made towards its solution b,
the excavations. AT the time of tn,
Crucifixion, it is agreed by all parties
the place of our Lords burial wa
outside of the walls. The place nov
pointed is within them. This has al
, ways been explained by the allege,
fact that, after Constantine built hi
| "Church for the Resurrection" tn
town was spread out and surrounde,
it. Others are certain that the pres
! ent site must have been always within
the limits of the ancient city, ant
: that the sepulchre must be looked TO
7 elsewhere. The solution of this diff
cult question depends upon-first, tn
existence of an earlier wall surround
) ing the city; and second, upon it
course; if it existed and ran to Il
east of the alleged place of the sepul
chre, the position claimed is doubles
correct; if it ran to the west, the pc
sition is certainly wrong. 1t is signil
!, capt that up to the present time, i
l spite of every effort, no portion G
+ the wall has been discovered Tn
l points at which it ended are all ur
: known.
RoBINsoN's ARCH.
b More than thirty years ago, Pre-
o fessor Edward Robinson believe
e that he had discovered in Jerusaler
J. traces of the arch of a bridge whic
led from the temple to Zion. If thi
j, was true, it would furnish a key t