IMPORTANT FINDS AT JERUSALEM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 18 June 1924, Page 7

IMPORTANT FINDS AT JERUSALEM

CITY OF MELCHIZEDEK REACHED

Professor Macalister wlio has already oiogical dicoveries of interesting archaeological discoveries at Jerusalem on tell site of the City of David, announces in the Daily Telegraph another discovery of great topographical and historical importance, which, he says, carries back the history of the city in all probability at least- 500 years behind the farthest point that has hitherto been attained. This discovery takes the form of a section of a great trench sunk in the road, Bft. in depth and lift in breadth. It is older than the Jebusitc wall previously found. When the trench had passed out of use as a factor in the defences of the city it was allowed to fill with silt

and rubbish, in which many potsherds were discovered, all uniformly belonging to the Middle Bronze Age, or, roughly about 1500 B.G. This gave 2000 8.C., or possibly 3000 8.C., as the very latest date that could be assigned to the trench itself. The broken steps are there, cleaned for the tune being of soil that has cumbered them from before the time of Abraham, and probably a record of a previously unknown siege of Jerusalem. The discovery of this trench further definitely fixes the exact line of the northern boundary of what was probably the first emplacement of Jerusalem. Professor Macalister refers to what lie

believes to be the actual discovery of a Jebusite (or pre-Jebusite] sanctuary in the rock surface of the trench, and here are some “cupmarks” on an area about 30ft square. These were, no doubt, made here for an industrial purpose, such as the pressing of olives or grapes or the watering of cattle. The discovery of this eultsite is not the least important that has been made. It is certainly by far the oldest .known “holy place'’ in Jerusalem—no small distinction in this city of sanctuaries. Referring to the workings inside the “earliest wall,” Professor Macalister says: “If anything was wanted to confirm the identification which we 'have always maintained, of this wall as being the Jebusite city wall, it would be supplied by the nature of the debris unearthed. We find ourselves at once involved in early house foundations, not in extra-mural rubbish heaps. The results of the digging in this last pit remove the last shred of doubt that we j have penetrated into the city of Melchizedek, of Abdi-Khiba, and of Adonibezek. The stratification is excessively complicated; it is the most difficult tangle of ancient walls that I ever attempted to unwind. Just under the surface were the remains of a medieval Arab (or Crusader?) settlement, including a very curious street of shops, with plastered walls and floors. When these had been planned and removed we found ourselves confronted with the foundation of a square tower, which seemed to have no assignable purpose.” It is at the other side of the field, overhanging the Valley of Jehoshaphat, that the next important discovery was made. This is a- gigantic bastion or glacis, of which some sixteen courses have been unearthed; its foundation has not yet been reached, and what will be its size when it is entirely uncovered cannot yet be guessed. Unquestionably this is a part of a great city wall, previously undiscovered. About half of the field to the south has neen cleared, and house walls of Arab, Byzantine, Roman, and Herodian date l.ave been found. Everything earlier than Herodian has been cleared away by later builders; but some very ancient pottery in the layer of earth immediately over the' rock remains to testify to an occupation almost from the beginning of traceable human remains in Southern Palestine. One discovery of importance in this new field has to be chronicled —that of a very early cult-site similar to the sanctuary which was found on the rock south of the fortification trench.