DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.10357#0238
208
PICTURESQUE PALESTINE,
apparently in its present position, by John Poloner. In the fourteenth century Marino Sanuto
identifies Philip's Fountain with En Hakkore, or the Fountain of the Jaw Bone, famous in
the history of Samson, and which was at that period supposed to have been near Beit Jibrln,
at the edge of the Philistine plain. In earlier times the fountain where Philip baptized the
eunuch was shown opposite the ruin of Bethsura, on the road from Jerusalem to Hebron.
The Bordeaux pilgrim mentions a chapel on this spot, the ruins of which still remain close
to the fine spring called 'Ain Dhirweh, under a low cliff above which the village of Halhul
4
stands on the hill-top.
Wady-el-Werd obtains its name from the cultivation of roses in the valley. The rose
is rarely seen in Palestine, but appears to thrive well in this place, and is used for the
preparation of the attar of roses. According to the Babylonian Talmud a single rose garden
existed in Jerusalem, dating back to the time of "the first prophets," that is to say, to the
period preceding the Captivity. The rose will not~ however, grow wild in so hot a climate
as that of southern Palestine, although the dog-rose is found on Lebanon and on the heights
of Hermon. The best authorities are agreed that the "Rose of Sharon" mentioned in the
Song of Songs is the white narcissus which grows in such profusion in the maritime plain.
The Targums translate the original Hebrew in this sense, and the modern Arabic name of
the narcissus (buseil) is radically identical with the Hebrew habutzeleth, rendered "rose" in
our version.
If instead of crossing by 'Ain Karim to 'Ain Haniyeh the traveller follows the main
road from Kolonia to the capital, he will find scenery fully as picturesque and interesting
as that already described. Ascending by a steep zigzag he reaches the edge of the Jerusalem
plateau, and will turn to cast a look on the road just past, soon hidden by the brow of the
watershed ridge. Beneath him lie the dark gardens of Kolonia, and directly opposite rises
the ridge on which Kastal stands, on a high knoll shutting out the view of the maritime
plain. The olive-yards of 'Ain Karim are visible on the left, with bare ridges rising in broad
steps like those of an amphitheatre, and due to the regular stratification of the limestone.
On the right the same valley is seen winding down from the chalky plateau where stands the
curious conical mound called Taliel-el-Ful, and the ridges beyond are equally rocky and
barren in appearance (see pages 188 and 213). The view is here bounded by the hill-crest
on which the tall minaret of Neby Samwil stands out against the sky, and on the south side
of the valley the village of Lifta is visible, perched on the edge of a precipitous descent.
This village has been identified by some authors with the " Fountain of the Water of
Nephtoah," which lay on the border of Judah ; but it is far more probably the ancient Eleph,
a city of Benjamin.
As the traveller recalls the scenes of this mountain district, he will see in imagination the
tall Philistines in their mail coats and bronze helmets flying before the despised herdsmen of
Judah, armed only with goads or mattocks. He will recall the handful of ill-disciplined zealots
driving back the trained soldiers of Antioch from the hill of Beth-horon. He will see in his
PICTURESQUE PALESTINE,
apparently in its present position, by John Poloner. In the fourteenth century Marino Sanuto
identifies Philip's Fountain with En Hakkore, or the Fountain of the Jaw Bone, famous in
the history of Samson, and which was at that period supposed to have been near Beit Jibrln,
at the edge of the Philistine plain. In earlier times the fountain where Philip baptized the
eunuch was shown opposite the ruin of Bethsura, on the road from Jerusalem to Hebron.
The Bordeaux pilgrim mentions a chapel on this spot, the ruins of which still remain close
to the fine spring called 'Ain Dhirweh, under a low cliff above which the village of Halhul
4
stands on the hill-top.
Wady-el-Werd obtains its name from the cultivation of roses in the valley. The rose
is rarely seen in Palestine, but appears to thrive well in this place, and is used for the
preparation of the attar of roses. According to the Babylonian Talmud a single rose garden
existed in Jerusalem, dating back to the time of "the first prophets," that is to say, to the
period preceding the Captivity. The rose will not~ however, grow wild in so hot a climate
as that of southern Palestine, although the dog-rose is found on Lebanon and on the heights
of Hermon. The best authorities are agreed that the "Rose of Sharon" mentioned in the
Song of Songs is the white narcissus which grows in such profusion in the maritime plain.
The Targums translate the original Hebrew in this sense, and the modern Arabic name of
the narcissus (buseil) is radically identical with the Hebrew habutzeleth, rendered "rose" in
our version.
If instead of crossing by 'Ain Karim to 'Ain Haniyeh the traveller follows the main
road from Kolonia to the capital, he will find scenery fully as picturesque and interesting
as that already described. Ascending by a steep zigzag he reaches the edge of the Jerusalem
plateau, and will turn to cast a look on the road just past, soon hidden by the brow of the
watershed ridge. Beneath him lie the dark gardens of Kolonia, and directly opposite rises
the ridge on which Kastal stands, on a high knoll shutting out the view of the maritime
plain. The olive-yards of 'Ain Karim are visible on the left, with bare ridges rising in broad
steps like those of an amphitheatre, and due to the regular stratification of the limestone.
On the right the same valley is seen winding down from the chalky plateau where stands the
curious conical mound called Taliel-el-Ful, and the ridges beyond are equally rocky and
barren in appearance (see pages 188 and 213). The view is here bounded by the hill-crest
on which the tall minaret of Neby Samwil stands out against the sky, and on the south side
of the valley the village of Lifta is visible, perched on the edge of a precipitous descent.
This village has been identified by some authors with the " Fountain of the Water of
Nephtoah," which lay on the border of Judah ; but it is far more probably the ancient Eleph,
a city of Benjamin.
As the traveller recalls the scenes of this mountain district, he will see in imagination the
tall Philistines in their mail coats and bronze helmets flying before the despised herdsmen of
Judah, armed only with goads or mattocks. He will recall the handful of ill-disciplined zealots
driving back the trained soldiers of Antioch from the hill of Beth-horon. He will see in his