DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.10357#0119
JERUSALEM.
95
cemetery is on the western slope of the same hill, above the Valley of Hinnom ; it is the only
burial-place near Jerusalem which is efficiently closed and properly tended. Within its walls
lie the remains of the two first Anglican bishops of Jerusalem—Dr. Alexander and
Dr. Gobat—and also those of Mr. Tyrwhitt Drake, who died of fever, due to exposure and
over-exertion whilst engaged on the great work of the survey of Palestine. The Moslem
cemeteries are—first, that extending along the eastern wall of the city, from a little north of
St. Stephen's Gate to the vicinity of the south-east angle of the Haram esh Sherif, which,
from its proximity to the sacred area, is most esteemed ; second, the ground above Jeremiah's
Grotto ; and, third, the extensive cemetery round the Birket Mamilla, near the head of the
Valley of Hinnom (see page 102). The great Jewish cemetery is on the western slope of the
Mount of Olives ; it extends northwards from Siloam, and runs up the hill almost to the Tombs
of the Prophets. In places, especially near Absalom's Pillar and the Tomb of Zacharias, the
ground is literally paved with tombstones (see pages 82 and 85). The simplest form of tomb
is that in which a common grave is sunk in the rock, and a reveal cut round its mouth to
receive a covering slab. In some cases the slab is flush with the surface of the rock ; in others
it is raised above it and ornamented like the lid of a sarcophagus. Another simple form of
tomb, to which the name of " trough grave " has been given, is that in which an arched recess
is cut in the face of the rock and a common grave sunk in its floor. A third simple form is
that in which a rectangular space is cut into the vertical face of the rock, after the manner of an
oven, extending six feet or more horizontally inwards, and sufficiently wide and high to admit
of a corpse being pushed in. The opening is closed by a stone slab or by a rough unhewn
mass of rock. Such a grave is called in the Talmud a " kok " (pi. " kokim "). A fourth kind of
tomb is the " shelf grave "—a shelf or bench, six feet long, cut in the vertical face of the rock,
upon which the corpse was laid even when it had first been placed in a sarcophagus. The
most common description of tomb is that in which a number of kokim, shelf, or trough graves
are grouped together in one or more chambers of the same excavation. These tombs may
be divided into three classes. The first class is that in which a natural cavern in one of the
softer strata of limestone is adapted to sepulchral purposes. Kokim are cut in the sides of the
cave, with their beds on a level with the ground, and the openings are then closed with rough
stone slabs resting against the face of the rock or fitting more closely into the excavation. . In
this class of tomb no arrangement was made for closing the entrance to the cavern. It seems
not improbable that these tombs were used for the burial of the poor, and they were perhaps
constructed at the public expense. In the second class of tomb a square or oblong chamber
is carefully cut in the solid rock ; the entrance is by a low square opening, closed either by a
closely fitting stone slab or by a stone door turning on a socket hinge and secured by bolts on
the inside. These tombs, remarkable for the care which has been bestowed on the excavation,
were probably the family vaults of wealthy people. The third class of tomb is that in which
one entrance leads to several tomb-chambers, each containing a large number of graves, and
sometimes sarcophagi.
95
cemetery is on the western slope of the same hill, above the Valley of Hinnom ; it is the only
burial-place near Jerusalem which is efficiently closed and properly tended. Within its walls
lie the remains of the two first Anglican bishops of Jerusalem—Dr. Alexander and
Dr. Gobat—and also those of Mr. Tyrwhitt Drake, who died of fever, due to exposure and
over-exertion whilst engaged on the great work of the survey of Palestine. The Moslem
cemeteries are—first, that extending along the eastern wall of the city, from a little north of
St. Stephen's Gate to the vicinity of the south-east angle of the Haram esh Sherif, which,
from its proximity to the sacred area, is most esteemed ; second, the ground above Jeremiah's
Grotto ; and, third, the extensive cemetery round the Birket Mamilla, near the head of the
Valley of Hinnom (see page 102). The great Jewish cemetery is on the western slope of the
Mount of Olives ; it extends northwards from Siloam, and runs up the hill almost to the Tombs
of the Prophets. In places, especially near Absalom's Pillar and the Tomb of Zacharias, the
ground is literally paved with tombstones (see pages 82 and 85). The simplest form of tomb
is that in which a common grave is sunk in the rock, and a reveal cut round its mouth to
receive a covering slab. In some cases the slab is flush with the surface of the rock ; in others
it is raised above it and ornamented like the lid of a sarcophagus. Another simple form of
tomb, to which the name of " trough grave " has been given, is that in which an arched recess
is cut in the face of the rock and a common grave sunk in its floor. A third simple form is
that in which a rectangular space is cut into the vertical face of the rock, after the manner of an
oven, extending six feet or more horizontally inwards, and sufficiently wide and high to admit
of a corpse being pushed in. The opening is closed by a stone slab or by a rough unhewn
mass of rock. Such a grave is called in the Talmud a " kok " (pi. " kokim "). A fourth kind of
tomb is the " shelf grave "—a shelf or bench, six feet long, cut in the vertical face of the rock,
upon which the corpse was laid even when it had first been placed in a sarcophagus. The
most common description of tomb is that in which a number of kokim, shelf, or trough graves
are grouped together in one or more chambers of the same excavation. These tombs may
be divided into three classes. The first class is that in which a natural cavern in one of the
softer strata of limestone is adapted to sepulchral purposes. Kokim are cut in the sides of the
cave, with their beds on a level with the ground, and the openings are then closed with rough
stone slabs resting against the face of the rock or fitting more closely into the excavation. . In
this class of tomb no arrangement was made for closing the entrance to the cavern. It seems
not improbable that these tombs were used for the burial of the poor, and they were perhaps
constructed at the public expense. In the second class of tomb a square or oblong chamber
is carefully cut in the solid rock ; the entrance is by a low square opening, closed either by a
closely fitting stone slab or by a stone door turning on a socket hinge and secured by bolts on
the inside. These tombs, remarkable for the care which has been bestowed on the excavation,
were probably the family vaults of wealthy people. The third class of tomb is that in which
one entrance leads to several tomb-chambers, each containing a large number of graves, and
sometimes sarcophagi.