They continued their visit walking towards the ramp that led up to the Haram from from the Western Wall Plaza to the Mughrabi Gate and David persued his discussion.
‘An example of the use of archaeological evidence can be seen in the controversy surrounding the ramp.’
‘This one – to the Haram esh-Sharif?’
‘Yes, here, in this dispute archaeological evidence was used to back the claims of the different parties relative to the holy sites.’
‘Tell us about the recent background history of the Haram?’ said Hertzfeld.
‘Well in 1967, we captured the Old City from the Jordanians, and Moshe Dayan allowed the Muslim religious authority, the Waqf, to administer it. But we maintained the right to enter it for security reasons using the Mughrabi or the Moors’ Gate. But as you can see the gate is high up in the wall and the ramp is the only way in.’
They stopped to look up at the massive walls before them.
‘The plan is that the Old City becomes a UNSECO World Heritage Site. So the Israelis and the Palestinians were supposed to work together for the protection of Jerusalem, but this raises the problem of archaeological works and more precisely the excavation works on the ramp leading up from the Western Wall Plaza to the Mughrabi Gate for access to the Esplanade.’
‘The Mughrabi Gate, wasn’t that the quarter demolished by Israel following the six-day war of June 1967.’
‘Yes, it was demolished to make way for the present day Plaza, but that’s another story. As to the ramp, it’s composed of several archaeological strata dating from Herodian times to the British Mandate period and a large amount of earth and rubble.’
He pointed to the ramp, which was situated to the left of the temporary wooden walkway, there was a yellow Caterpillar mechanical shovel standing idle before a pile of rubble. The old ramp was about seventy five metres long and curved upwards from a spot near to the Archaeological Park, it had originally been constructed so that visitors could enter the Haram through the Mughrabi Gate, six metres above the level of the Plaza. It was now the main entry point to the Haram for visitors as well as the Israeli police. The ramp was closed to Muslims and was controlled by the Israeli authorities. Muslims entered by other gates controlled by the Waqf, and regulated by the Israeli police.
They continued to part of the ramp situated closer to the Wall that included part of a house used as a prayer room by Jewish women. The house blocked the entrance to the Barclay Gate under the Mughrabi Gate, which certain thought was one of the ancient gates of the Herodian temple. On the other side of the wall, inside the Haram esh-Sharif, was prayer room that Muslims believe was the stable of Al-Buraq, Mohammed's horse.
‘The controversy goes back to February 2004, when heavy rain and snow caused the collapse of the wall on the north side of the ramp, exposing vaults and the underlying structures. Then in July 2005, a temporary wooden bridge was set up to access the Haram.’
‘That’s what we can see now?’
‘Yes, two million people visit the Haram each year, so the mayor of Jerusalem proposed a new and better ramp be designed and naturally the World Heritage Committee wanted to see the details. The problem however, was in January the Prime Minster approved archaeological excavations on the ramp, though without consulting UNESCO and excavation works started under the supervision of the IAA.’
‘So the Waqf got mad!’
‘Right, the problem was that the old earth ramp would have had to be removed down to the bedrock for the foundations of the new ramp. In addition the work included other surveys on the southern side of the ramp towards the southern entrance of the Plaza and inside the Archaeological Park.’
‘I thought they were only responsible for the Haram itself?’
‘That’s correct, but the problem is the Waqf considers that the entire area of the former Mughrabi Quarter and the ramp are its property.’
‘Is that justified?’
‘To be honest I don’t know, but in any case they and have always asked for the keys of the Mughrabi Gate to be given back to them, though without success.’
‘So what’s their worry?’
‘They’re afraid that the excavations work will destroy what remains of the Mughrabi Quarter and archaeological evidence relating to the Ayubid and Mamluk periods. They are also worried that the Israeli authorities hide any discovery that could be favourable to their claims.’
‘So what’s the situation now?’
‘They’ve scrapped the plans for the new walkway. And they’re now looking at some kind of an alternative.’
‘Can we visit the Haram now?’ asked Laura.
‘Yes, we have plenty of time, it does not close until three. I’m glad to see you are not wearing shorts Miss Laura, many ladies are refused entry if they are wearing shorts, remember the Muslim religious authorities are in charge and we have to obey their orders,’ he said smiling.
After passing through the gate they were met by an Arab Israeli and friend of Shlomo’s, Omar bin Salman, an archaeologist and specialist on Islam, who was to guide them on their visit and answer their questions
‘The Al Aqsa Mosque,’ he told them, ‘after Mecca and Medina, is the third holiest place of prayer in the world for Muslims. It was completed in about 720AD. Al Aqsa is one of the oldest mosques in existence and probably the most beautiful. Here,’ he said pointing to the graceful porticos, ‘King Abdullah I of Jordan was assassinated in 1951, before his 15-year-old grandson who was to become King Hussein father of Jordan’s present King Abdullah.’
‘Can we go inside?’ asked Laura.
‘Yes, except during prayer times, but now is alright,’ he said looking at his watch.
The left their shoes with their driver and entered into the Mosque.
‘Removing shoes is an ancient tradition that goes back to the time when Moses saw the Burning Bush in the Sinai Desert and heard the voice of God telling him to put off his shoes.’
They entered a broad hall hung with chandeliers, the floors covered with oriental rugs. The roof was supported by columns embellished with early Islamic and Byzantine design. To the front, after a series of great marble pillars, was a dais reserved for the Jordanian royal family.
‘The pulpit or minbar you see before you was one of Islam's greatest treasures, it was commissioned by Saladin for the re-consecration of the mosque after the Crusaders.’
‘Was?’
‘Yes, a tragedy, it was destroyed when a crazy Australian tourist set fire to Al Aqsa in 1969, what you see is a reproduction.’
They continued their visit climbing the broad ceremonial stairs leading to a decorative archway and a raised centre portion of the Temple Mount complex. The façade of the Dome of the Rock was covered Persian blue tiles added by the Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in the mid-16th century. The Dome of the mosque had been completely rebuilt and gilded with eighty kilograms of 24-carat by the King of Jordan.
Inside thick carpets line the floor and ceiling with stained-glass windows. The mosque was built in 691AD, covering the rock, or the summit of the mountain.
‘Here according to Islamic tradition is the exact spot from which the Prophet rose into heaven, after a night ride on his horse Buraq, as you can see the Prophet’s footprints on the rock bear witness to this,’ he told them with the utmost seriousness.
‘Now you can see where the Prophet Muhammad's hair is kept,’ he said pointing to a latticework cabinet.
As they left the mosque O’Connelly walked ahead with Salman as Laura and the others admired turned to admire the Dome of the Rock.
‘By the way where are the Stables?’
‘Ah yes, the Stables of Solomon, that’s something important for your book, I would think!’
‘Yes.’
‘Unfortunately it’s not possible for the moment, there are works going on and there is a security problem.’
He saw O’Connelly’s face and he shrugged his shoulders sadly.
‘I can image your disappointment, but here take my c
ard, telephone me and I will be pleased to provide you with any information you want at a more convenient place.’ He slipped his card discretely into O’Connelly’s hand. ‘Call me.’ He said softly raising his finger to his lips.
That evening O’Connelly called Salman who proposed a meeting at a bookshop in the Arab Quarter early the next morning.
‘Alone please Mr O’Connelly.’
Early that afternoon O’Connelly found the bookshop, not without difficulty in the twisting streets of the north-east part of Arab Quarter in the Old City. It was a typical Arab bookshop filled with green copies of the Koran and other holy books with their looping Arabic titles in gilt, technical works and children's books.
Salman invited him into a back room.
‘It’s very kind of you to come,’ he said pointing to a low table and low cushion covered seats along the wall. ‘A coffee?’
O’Connelly nodded his agreement and took a seat, a young boy appeared with two cups of Turkish coffee and two glasses of water. There exchanged a few polite phrases as a preamble before Salman got down to the object of his invitation.
‘So you would like to visit Solomon’s Stables?’
‘Yes, if it is possible.’
‘Let’s see what we can do.’
They sipped there coffee.
‘As you know I am an archaeologist, which means I do not necessarily agree with the work on the Haram.’
He saw O’Connelly raise his eyebrows.
‘You should not think because I am a Muslim and an Arab that I have not a mind of my own,’ he said smiling to soften his words.
‘No,’ said O’Connelly weakly.
‘I am a believer, that is to say in God, but I do not necessarily accept all that is written in the holy books.’
O’Connelly said nothing, he waited for Salman’s explanation.
‘You know religion is symbolism, people need thoughts and ideas to be transferred into something less abstract. So symbols such as holy books, holy places and relics, these are proof of the past, the pre-existence of things they are brought up to believe. Religion and our history books tell us of our past, something that is gone for ever, religion helps us to see our future, it even promises us a future beyond what we fear most, death. These things help us to concentrate on living, on going about our daily life, bringing up our families.’
O’Connelly listened fascinated by the unexpected frankness of Salman, wondering where it was leading.
‘So I believe in the need for symbolism, I don’t necessarily approve its use by politicians or even worse perpetrators of violence. I am not an iconoclast, if Muslims and Jews share a common and peaceful respect for the holy places that is a good thing. As an archaeologist I don’t believe our work should be used for political ends or to demolish the faith of others.’
‘I see.’
‘So your book interests me, the story of the Temple, the cisterns….’
‘Myself I am a novelist, but the archaeological work relating to the underground water system was made by a young man, a Druze. The theory concerning the site of the Temple was based on this young man’s work and was developed by a Frenchman. So, myself I started out with the idea of writing a novel about the investigation’s into the history of Temple. Now it seems that this has turned into an investigation.’
‘Ah, an investigation.’
‘No I don’t mean an investigation in the sense of a newspaper or police investigation, I mean an exploration of history and the different people’s motivations.’
‘Do you believe your French archaeologist’s theories?’
‘Theories are theories, I now realise there are as many as there are religious experts concerning the Temple,’ he suddenly stopped and then picking up again flustered, ‘I’m sorry I didn’t mean to offend you.’
‘There’s no offence, I am a rational man not a theorist,’ Salman said smiling kindly.
‘As to the young student archaeologist’s work, it’s really interesting, it’s a pity it was never completed.’
‘Who is this young man?’
‘He was killed in the IDF on the Lebanese border.’
‘Ah, I’m sorry to hear that, he was perhaps a Druze if he was in the IDF?’
‘Yes.’
‘And the Frenchman?’
‘That’s more complicated, a strange character, not exactly a crank, inspired by some kind of a religious vision.’
‘We have many of those in Jerusalem. Does he live here?’
‘No he’s in Cambodia.’
‘Oh….’
There was a silence as he reflected.
‘So how can I help you?’
‘Is it possible to visit the Stables.’
‘I can arrange that,’ he replied promptly. ‘If you are free now we can go there directly, on Thursday morning the Haram is closed to tourists
A stairway led down to the underground area.
‘It’s often called Solomon’s Stables, perhaps it was the Crusaders who gave it that name. They thought they were the stables for King Solomon’s horses. What they are in reality is part of the substructure built by Herod’s for the platform now the Haram esh-Sharif what you call the Temple Mount. Some Muslims wrongly think it refers the Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, who rebuilt the walls around Old City repaired the Dome of the Rock in the 16th century.
‘By the way we heard that Herod’s tomb has been discovered?’
‘I know, that’s what Ehud Netzer of the Hebrew University says, it’s at Herodium, that’s to the south of Jerusalem in the Judean desert.’
‘It was the same Herod mentioned in the New Testament?’
‘Yes, Herod the Great, he was made King of Judea by the Roman, and reigned from about 37 BC to 4 BC.”
‘So he wasn’t there when Jesus was born?’
‘Not according to historians, perhaps to the New Testament.’
‘It was he who built the Second Temple.’
‘Not exactly, he rebuilt it to make it more magnificent more worthy of God. He also built the walls around the Old City and the hilltop fortress of Masada, where Jewish rebels made their last stand in 73AD.’
‘How did Netzer discover it?’
‘Well he has worked on the site for decades. But I was an ancient staircase built for Herod’s funeral procession that was described in detail by Josephus Flavius, which led Netzer to the hill-top burial site.’
‘What exactly did they find?’
‘A broken limestone sarcophagus. It was decorated with ornate rosette patterns, which indicates it was for someone important. Herod was no doubt buried somewhere inside of his palace built on the hilltop.’
20
The Temple