DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27910#0029
HEBRON, WITH MOSQUE COVERING THE CAVE OF MACPELAH.
m
< S
r
»E gave in our last article a description of the journey from Jerusalem to Hebron, and a
sketch of the chief incidents in its ancient history. The present view is taken from the slope
over against the northern portion of the town, which is partly occupied as a cemetery, and
where travellers usually encamp. The houses of Hebron are of stone—lofty and tolerably
well built. They have flat roofs, with the addition of one, and sometimes two, small domes
—a style peculiar to Judea. Around the Great Mosque, which is conspicuous in the present
View, are the bazaar and the business quarter of the town. The town is at present unwalled, but has several
gates at the entrances of the principal streets. Above and around, the hills may be observed to be sprinkled
over with olive trees, some of which are very old. Of the general aspect of the place, Stanley says:—
“ These cultivated valleys of Hebron are hardly distinguishable (except by their olives) from the general
features of a rich valley in Yorkshire or Derbyshire. The absence of palms and the presence of daisies greatly
contributes to this result.” The daisies are upon Stanley’s authority : I myself did not notice them. This is a true
mountain valley, being, according to Eussegger, 2842 (Paris) feet above the level of the sea; or, as Stanley observes,
only 400 feet lower than the summit of Helvellyn.
The Great Mosque, which—as mentioned in the previous article—is held to cover the Cave of Macpelah, and
probably to contain the very mummies of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is a building of about 200 feet long by 115
broad. The walls are from 50 to 60 feet high, built of very large stones bevelled and cut in all respects similarly to
the most ancient of the Jewish walls at Jerusalem. Some of the stones are from 18 to 25 feet in length.
There are no windows in any of the outer walls. Of the interior we have no reliable information, except that
in the court various tombs have been raised by the Moslems to the patriarchs, whilst their actual place of
sepulture is held to be in a cavern below, which even the faithful are not permitted to enter. Professor Eobinson
concludes a careful collation of the evidence upon the subject with the following remark:—“ Thus, it appears
to me, we may rest with confidence in the view that the remarkable external structure of the Haram is indeed the
work of Jewish hands, erected long before the destruction of the nation around the sepulchre of their revered
progenitors, ‘The Friend of God,’ and his descendants.” The modern Arabic name of Hebron is El-Khulil—
“ The Friend,” i. e., of God.
As has been mentioned in the previous article, Hebron is the seat of several branches of manufacture,
especially of small glass lamps, many of which are sent into Egypt. These glass manufactories are mentioned
in the fifteenth century as flourishing at Hebron. Professor Eobinson also mentions a manufactory of water
skins; as many as 1500 were lying about the yard, stuffed with an infusion of oak bark. The bazaars are
plentifully supplied with fruit, especially raisins; for the finest of the grapes which are grown so abundantly
in the valley are dried as raisins, and the rest being trodden and pressed, the juice is boiled down to a syrup
resembling molasses, which is used as a condiment with food. No wine is made, except by the Jews.
Hebron is not named in the latter portions of Old Testament history, and not at all in the New. In more
recent times (a.d. 1100) it was seized by the crusaders; and in subsequent centuries four or five Eoman
Catholic bishops of Hebron were appointed; but the place passed into the hands of the Mohammedans in the
year 1187, and has remained ever since in their possession. In the year 1834 its inhabitants were active
in opposing the Egyptian rule in Palestine, and the town was carried by storm by Ibrahim Pacha, and given
over to sack and pillage. Many of the rebels escaped to Kerak, on the east of the Dead Sea. But that place
was also taken by the Egyptian troops, and laid in ruins.
m
< S
r
»E gave in our last article a description of the journey from Jerusalem to Hebron, and a
sketch of the chief incidents in its ancient history. The present view is taken from the slope
over against the northern portion of the town, which is partly occupied as a cemetery, and
where travellers usually encamp. The houses of Hebron are of stone—lofty and tolerably
well built. They have flat roofs, with the addition of one, and sometimes two, small domes
—a style peculiar to Judea. Around the Great Mosque, which is conspicuous in the present
View, are the bazaar and the business quarter of the town. The town is at present unwalled, but has several
gates at the entrances of the principal streets. Above and around, the hills may be observed to be sprinkled
over with olive trees, some of which are very old. Of the general aspect of the place, Stanley says:—
“ These cultivated valleys of Hebron are hardly distinguishable (except by their olives) from the general
features of a rich valley in Yorkshire or Derbyshire. The absence of palms and the presence of daisies greatly
contributes to this result.” The daisies are upon Stanley’s authority : I myself did not notice them. This is a true
mountain valley, being, according to Eussegger, 2842 (Paris) feet above the level of the sea; or, as Stanley observes,
only 400 feet lower than the summit of Helvellyn.
The Great Mosque, which—as mentioned in the previous article—is held to cover the Cave of Macpelah, and
probably to contain the very mummies of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is a building of about 200 feet long by 115
broad. The walls are from 50 to 60 feet high, built of very large stones bevelled and cut in all respects similarly to
the most ancient of the Jewish walls at Jerusalem. Some of the stones are from 18 to 25 feet in length.
There are no windows in any of the outer walls. Of the interior we have no reliable information, except that
in the court various tombs have been raised by the Moslems to the patriarchs, whilst their actual place of
sepulture is held to be in a cavern below, which even the faithful are not permitted to enter. Professor Eobinson
concludes a careful collation of the evidence upon the subject with the following remark:—“ Thus, it appears
to me, we may rest with confidence in the view that the remarkable external structure of the Haram is indeed the
work of Jewish hands, erected long before the destruction of the nation around the sepulchre of their revered
progenitors, ‘The Friend of God,’ and his descendants.” The modern Arabic name of Hebron is El-Khulil—
“ The Friend,” i. e., of God.
As has been mentioned in the previous article, Hebron is the seat of several branches of manufacture,
especially of small glass lamps, many of which are sent into Egypt. These glass manufactories are mentioned
in the fifteenth century as flourishing at Hebron. Professor Eobinson also mentions a manufactory of water
skins; as many as 1500 were lying about the yard, stuffed with an infusion of oak bark. The bazaars are
plentifully supplied with fruit, especially raisins; for the finest of the grapes which are grown so abundantly
in the valley are dried as raisins, and the rest being trodden and pressed, the juice is boiled down to a syrup
resembling molasses, which is used as a condiment with food. No wine is made, except by the Jews.
Hebron is not named in the latter portions of Old Testament history, and not at all in the New. In more
recent times (a.d. 1100) it was seized by the crusaders; and in subsequent centuries four or five Eoman
Catholic bishops of Hebron were appointed; but the place passed into the hands of the Mohammedans in the
year 1187, and has remained ever since in their possession. In the year 1834 its inhabitants were active
in opposing the Egyptian rule in Palestine, and the town was carried by storm by Ibrahim Pacha, and given
over to sack and pillage. Many of the rebels escaped to Kerak, on the east of the Dead Sea. But that place
was also taken by the Egyptian troops, and laid in ruins.