The Site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem

THE g~nuineness of this church 'is by many writers~'disputed, 'whereas others advocate it. Into this question I will not e~ter in' this paper, but simply give several statements on the configuratiQn of the ground, . describing rock scarps, cisterns, &c., which may bear 9n the matter. I have recently made careful researches,t in order to be enabled to furnish plans in plaster of the ground, and in. the course of these researches I' found several important things, to report which is now my duty .. 1. ~ne of the chief points was to ascertain: whether the Calvary' rock is really rock or some imitation .. I always felt uncertain on this point, and when asked about . it by the Secretary of the English Palestine Exploration Fund, I' could only give a doubtful answer, so I made' 'this the first thing in my researches. It is well known that ill the" Chapel of Adam," .A, in a elosed recess, and over it, on Calvary, rocle can be seen. I paid a visit to the' Greek Archimandrite, telling him about my doubts, and asking to be permitted to see the waIis of his inner room, which is always locked. It was opened to me, and I was astonished to find there a very fine and costly museum of a great variety of things, but, alas! the walls were plastered so that I could see no rock, nor could the Archimandrite tell me what was behind the plaster, as he had. not paid attention to this point before the plastering was done some years ago. Also, owing to the plaster, I could not see the blocked-up door which once led on this side to Calvary, besides the one through the Roman Catholic chapel on the top of the stairs. So' I went up to Calvary and to the refectory of the Greeks, in order to examine the east side. The wall, upstairs, between the place of the Cross and the refectory, is very thin, and as there are cupboards there, made partly of wood and also plastered inside, I could .see no rock. .Coming down from the refectory half way there is a short passage a little more than 6 feet high, covered with so~e long stones, hewed square like lhitels, between which-are' also one or two pillar shafts which form part of the flooring of the refectory and the passage between the Greek Choir and Calvary

Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · African history and culture analysis · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Geology · History · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies