Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-28
FINDS IN BIBLE LANDS.
Exeavators Make Important Diseov-
cries In Samaria and Elsewhere.

/
cries In Samaria and Elsewhere.
| Again patient excavation work in
Bible lands, says Jerusalem letter.
has been rewarded by striking and
important discoveries. 1t Is suggested
that the remains now unearthed may
be those Of Ahab's Ivory house"
| q Kings, 22-39). Labels with Hebrew
writing, which seem to have been in
actual use during the lifetime, and
perhaps in the household. Of Omri
and Ahab. have also been found. Many
4, Biblical names appear in these writ
ings such as Elisha, Asa, Nathan.
Uzza, Sheba and Abiezer.
These discoveries have been made at
Samaria, the ancient capital of Israel.
Since 1908 the Harvard University has
been carrying on excavations here un-
der the patronage Of the Hon. Jacob
H. Schiff, of New York, the chief OBJ
Ject being the search for Hebrew re.
mains. The work Of each season has
been mainly at the summit. Here, in
1908, was excavated an imposing stair
way, with a large altar at its foot.
and a mutilated statue Of fine white
marble and excellent workmanship.
probably representing Augustus, lying
near the altar. Near the altar also
were two stelae, with Latin votive in
scriptions dedicated to Jupiter, Opti-
mus Maximus. Both date from about
90 ha
a little later. The altar seemed to be
Of earlier date, probably Herodian
Such of the stairway were the massive
foundations of one or more large
buildings.
The campaign Of 1909 dug out the
towers of the Herodian gateway and
part OF the Herodian city wall on the
western side Of the hill, and portion
Of the Herodian basilica adjoining the
forum near the village on the eastern
side. South Of the summit was un-
covered a maze of walls, Roman,
Greek and Hebrew, and others Of less
certain designation. Near the base Of
a wall in the Babylonian style was
found a fragment Of a cuneiform in
scriptiun.
The conditions at the summit were
so complicated that the excavations
here called for the most minute OBJ
servation. The great wall found In
1908, running south from the stair
way, proved to be the eastern foun-
dalton wall Of a large Roman build
Ing This was dug out In its entirety,
and there seems to be no doubt that
II is the Augustan temple built by
Herod. In 1908 coin of Herod had
been found on one Of the foundation
walls Of this building. There are 9TH
er walls, not coinciding, with those
Of Herod, which indicate a rebuilding
Of the temple in inferior style, and
this may be dated with much proba-
bility to the time Of Septimus Severus.
about A. D. zoo.
Resting on the rock were found
very heavy walls, so solid that later
builders, Greek and Roman used these
walls in places as a base on which
to lay their own foundations. The
masonry was Of style already
known as Israelite, consisting OF
broad walls of large blocks, roughly
laid. In certain places the wall Is
tGntiEelY- 2one. -hntzHs- dinectin lon can. be
seen from that Of the portions still
the rock. Following up these walls
and trenches the general plan Of a
large building, consisting Of chambers
grouped around courts in the style
of an Assyrian palace, became clear.
Here and there stand portions Of the
finished wall to the height Of several
courses Of stone. Moreover, two grades
Of construction appeared, Omri, en-
larged in a superior style by his son
Ahab. This may be, then, the ivory
house" built by Ahab. At all events,
this building is a Hebrew palace, the
first and only palace Of Hebrew king
ever found, and likely to remain
unique and therefore Of the deepest
interest to Biblical students. The
palace has now been excavated to an
extent amounting to about twenty feet
square, and the limits have not yet
been reached. Moreover, two addt-
tions to the palace have been noted.
Tentatively assigned to Jehu and
Jeroboam ii.