Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-07-12
SEEK KING DAVID'S TOMB
IN JERUSALEM CITY

WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE
tomb of an eastern king more Ia
nous than Tutankhamen is soon TO
be sought by archaeologists. The
British in Jerusalem would like TO
see the long lost tomb of King Da-
vid uneartned and British otncials
Lave sent to each nation OF the
world the invitation to arrange a
scientific expedition for this pur-
pose. A numner of the governments
approached have expressed great
intel est in the project, out SO a
no definite arrangements Tor expe-
ditions have been announced. The
plan IS that all of the expeditions
are to work in cooperation, so that a
systematic search for the tomb a
ben made
Not only King David but Solomon
and sever other kings OF Judah are
supposed to lie buried in this sepuI-
chrc for whic hthe scientists are
seek. According to the meager
records the kings were buried in
the city OF David" but for centuries
the Wtrld has not had the faintest
iaca of the Xac site where the tomb
is hidden.
Hebrew history tells of Herod S
rihing the tomb of David of some
of its golden vessels, and there ate
several stories regarding people
who have happened upon the outer
chamber of the tomb with strange
consequences. These stories would
suggest hat the tomb a been
found and might be found again.
But whether the tales are legend or
fact or a mixture of both no one
today knows.
We do not know that tourists in
Jerusalem are shown a place which
guide books designate as the tomb
of David. This place is or Mount
Zion. The tourist ascends a flight
of stairs and is permitted by the
Moslem guide to look through a
grating at the so-called resting place
of the great Hebrew king. What lie
see5 Is a stone cenotaph draped with
red and green coverings, red and
green being the Moslem colors. lie
understands that the sarcophagus
contains the body of the king.
Adjoining the tomb is a Don
which is thought to be the place of
the Last Supper of Christ and His
disciples.
A~chaeologists say that there IS
little likelihood of this being the
site of the tomb of the kings. The
tradition to hat effect goes back
only to the sixth century, when a
Franciscan monastery stood on the
spot.
A Beggar's Revenge
In that time a beggar came to the
door of the monastery, so the story
goes, and asked for food. Being re-
fused. he angrily went away and
began to spread the m that the
tomb Of David was hidden under
the monastery buildings.
The beggar knew that David is
honored by the Mohammedans as a
great prophet. Very soon the peo-
pie of this faith were aroused 20
the desire of possessing the tomb
of the purophet. The Franciscan
were driven from their monastery
and the beggar was avenged.
A member of the American colony
of Jerusalem tells us that now the
Franciscans of Italy are remind
ing the British of their claim 20
the site and asking they be restored
to power there. This demand is
causing the British no little per-
plexity, since serious international
complications might follow a dect-
sion unsatisfactory either to the
Moslem or the Italian faction.
i is remembered that the Cri-
mean wal nared up over the silver
sta in Bethlehem, marking IN
place where Christ was born. This
star was stolen, and the tension and
bitterness that followed between
the Turks and the Russians event
ually became so great that only was
could settle the misunderstanding
between the two nations.
While two countries argue over
the site on Mount Zion ,archaeolo-
gists direct their attention toward
Mount Ophel. the eastern hill Of
Jerusalem. This bill is generally
agreed upon as the n time "city
OF David and II is here that h
excavations r TO be made.
The soil of Ophel is not hard to
dig into, as II is mostly ashes and
debris. The main difficulty is %
kee~ the ~excavated area boarded
against the loose. slipping soil. The
old Sloan tunnel in this vicinity
has for some timeintrigued sciea-
lists. Its crooked course suggested
to them that the tunnel was dug so
as to avoid the royal tomb.
The tomb of David has been
| sought before on this hill, with no
success. At one time a party OF
Britishers who were particularly in
terested in the reports OF the tomb
treasures obtained permission from
Constantinoplc to look for the sepul-