Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-09-25
UNDERGROUND JERUSALEM.
Getting Down to the Wall that Existed 1
the Time of ,JOseDhus.

Getting Down to the Wall that Existed in
the Time of Josephus.
From the London Daily News.
1t is now more than a quarter of a
century since Captain (now Major Gen
eraD Sir Charles Warren carried on
his explorations at Jerusalem for the
Palestine Exploration Fund, and
which resulted in such brilliant dis
coveries, revealing to us what was then
known as "Underground Jerusalem"
That was the remains of the ancient
city, now covered up with the accumu-
lated debris of ages, an accumulation
that reached in some places to q depth
Of more than 70 feet. Since that time
no systematic explorations have been
carried on in the Holy City. Herr Bau-
rath Won Schick and other agents of the
Palestine Exploration Fund have
watched whenever any digging took
place-for the foundations of new
buildings or any other purposes-and
if anything of Importance turned up it
has been faithfully reported in the
"Quarterly Statement" published by
the fund, and which is now the recog-
nized journal of archaeology in Pales-
tine.
For some years back the value of
ground at Jerusalem has been increas-
ing, and building, more particularly on
the north and west, has been going on
outside the walls and it became advis-
able to have some explorations made
before houses were erected, which
would make excavations impossible.
The necessary frman from the sultan
was procured, and DR.. F. J. Bliss be-
gan operations last year. The first
task he undertook was to trace the
line of the ancient wall on the south
ern side of Jerusalem. 1t was known
that the old was about 500 feet to the
south of the present one, and that it
skirted the brow of the slope which
forms one side of the Valley of Hinnom.
Why the builders of the new wall left
this commanding height undefended is
a question that is not easily explained.
1t is certain that the older engineers
did not leave this advantageous posi-
ton for an enemy to occupy. Traces
of the old wall were first come upon
when levelng the ground for the En-
glish cemetery.
In 1874 Major Conder, writing from
Jerusalem, recommended that eXplora-
tious should be made at this point !;
and Mr.. Henry Maudslay at that time
did sufficient digging to show the
existence of the wall all the way
from the Protestant school to the
east end fthe cemetery. Among other
things he found that the dining room
of the school had it's walls standing on
the square pose of one of the ancient
towers; and that in places the rock on
which the wall stood was scarped be-
low to a depth of 80 feet. Mr.. Bliss
took up the work at point where
Mr.. Maudslay had left of, and follow
ed the line of wall from the cemetery,
where it runs in a south -easterly direc-
lion for about $50 feet. He also found
deep scarps in the rock, which must
have given great strength to the de-
fense, and made the battlements to
tower with an imposing appearance
over the Hinnom Valley. The stones
are Of no great size, that is, in COM
parison with some of the masonry at
other parts of the walls, such as that
of the Jews Wailing- place, and por.
tions of the Haram Wall. They have
the usual draught around their bor-
ders, and the lower course is bedded on
the solid rock.
Water supply has not been forgot
ten, lis numerous cisterns have been
come upon. The existence of a gate
way was discovered at this point, and
it is here that one interesting point in
the explorations presents itself. The
main street of Jerusalem runs from
north to south in almost a straight
line-it begins at the Damascus Gate
on the north, and ends on the south at