Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-06-05

N'OAA>~A AAAs~sSAA0i All AiS tCLuVlCs OuSSlUC
the confines of the town is a huge
mound which constitutes quite an i'm
portant landmark for miles around.
and on investigation Prof. Petrie finds
that its height is practically in accord
ance with the dimensions mentioned
by Josephus. 1t being over fifty.nine
Greek cubits above the level Of the sur
rounding plain. the Jewish historians
figures being sixty cubits in height.
Examination Of the pottery that was
found within this mound Identifies it
with the second century B. c., while
the coins which have been brought to
light are of the period of PtOlemy Phi
lOmator. whom JOsephus states grant
ed the whole settlement, while sherd
unearthed with building accounts,
bearing among other names that of
Abram, affords convincing testimony
that Jews were employed. Under these
circumstances the we'll known archae.
ologist who has carried out the exca-
vations is firmly convinced that this
is the site upon which Onias erected
his temple.
The ground plan of this settlement
is roughly right-angled triangle, aud
it was strongly fortified. On the east
ern side was an eastern wall of stone
767 feet in length by at least 20 feet
in height, and terminating in bastions
at the ends. The entrance was at the
west acute angle, while the temple
was at the south point. hypotenuse
of the triangle was formed of an in
wardly curving wall not less than 20
feet in thickness, rising to height of
not less than 68 feet, at an angle Of
over 60 degrees, to support the temple,
entry to the court of which was at.
tanned by means of stairway IA feet
wide in the eastern wall.
The settlement covered an area ran
ging from three acres in extent, and
and the sacred edifice was exactly
half the size Of the temple erected in
Jerusalem by King Solomon. The
rough lines of the structure built by
Onias are now only visible owing to
the vandalism of the natives in quest
of earth, but about twenty years age
the walls were standing and the pave
ments and pillars were then extant
Prof. Petrie finds that the inner court
of the Temple was GA feet in length
by 2 feet in width, while the outel
court was 45 feet long by 80 feet wide
inside measurements. The architec
ture was Corinthian with Syrian fea
lures in the battlements. When thu
? natives first commenced excavatini
r earth from the site some years agt
vast quantities of burnt bones wer'
revealed, and the probability is tina
. they were the remains of the daily sac
, rifices. Evidences of this have beef
f discovered in the foundations, since il
a the lower part have been unearthed OF
all sides huge cylinders of potter
!. sunk in the ground in which the sae
I rifices were celebrated, fresh earth be
ing thrown upon each fire offering, il
x order to smother it, so that traces q
9 sacrificial rites remain alternate wit
e layers of earth. Unfortunately, how
n ever, the valuable work carried on b
r. the school is hampered by the lack {
e funds, which is a regrettable fac
n since the evidences of wanton destruc
q. iveness upon this site show the in
r. prative nature of carrying out the e,
cavation and research work in Egyl
IS upon a thorough and more extensi,
L. scale than is at present possible
n. Scientific American.