IN THE HOLY LAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1923, Page 5

IN THE HOLY LAND.

REMARKABLE DISCOVERIES BIBLE STORY CONFIRMEDSITE OF CITY OF DAVID. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received De'c. 24, 9|15 p.m. London, Dec. 24. Mr. Macalister, the Daily Telegraph’s correspondent at the explorations at Jerusalem, reports that the excavations at Mount Ophel revealed the site of the Caistle of Zion, which is the City of David, and also a wall of rough hewn stone of immense strength, from which the Jebusites taunted David. Ancient pottery shows that the Jebusite city was a castle on the Eastern Hill, and the claim, of the Western Hill to be Zion disappears forever. The position of Millo and the wall which David built around Millo is clearly defined. Millo was an ornamental portico like Propylaea in Athens., leading to the suburb in which Solomon set his house and temple. Mr. Macalister also found the wall of Hezekiah, which is against Sennacherib, and the stairway to the ancient armoury mentioned in Nehemiah, third chapter and nineteenth verse. The archaeological evidences almost uncannily accord with the Bible narrative. The fortress -fills a breach in tiie wall as expected and shows signs of later repair under stress of imminent danger. There is a fortification wall built inward from the tower.

There is no conspicuous fortification earlier than Solomon, which is also in accordance with the Bible story. The site of the excavations has now been recovered with earth, as the Arabs would otherwise have sold the masonry for a few pounds. There they will remain until civilisation teaches that there are pursuits more noble than money grubbing.