Zara Mahmood Professor Belkin AR100 June 18 2013 Lecture 15 16 Notes Archaeology and Identity The Archaeology of Israel The Temple Mount Located in Jerusalem Israel Large structure located in the Old City Site of the First and Second Temple of Judaism o Site of the Dome of the Rock and al Aqsa Mosque Haram al Sharif Built in antiquity on top of a large hill in city of David original Jerusalem city o Between Tyropaeion valley and Kidron valley o Plays a key role for al three monotheistic religions Reconstruction of Solomon s Temple Bronze Age o 2 Israel territories North Israel South Judai United monarchy o King David 1005 970 BCE Judain Eventually became Kind of Juda and made Jerusalem the First true ruler of united Israel Established a shrine and Jerusalem became political religious capital capital United Israel with Juda o King Solomon 970 931 BCE Son of David Further consolidated the State Divided the country into 12 different administrative districts Greatest building was his building of the First Temple God pact Build this temple I will look over you Temple was used for more than 4 centuries Death of King Solomon United monarchy split again The First Diaspora o Kingdom of Juda fell to Babylonian empire Ruled by King Nebuchadnezzar II Besieged and destroyed the city and Solomon s temple Brought elite Judains back to Babylon After this spirituality strengthened Synagogue Tora God s will praying o Jewish exiles were allowed to return o First temple destroyed in 597 Zara Mahmood Professor Belkin AR100 June 18 2013 People returned back to Jerusalem and rebuilt it The Second Temple Herod s Temple o First temple and Jerusalem destroyed again o King Herod 73 BCE 4 BCE figure head king o Second temple initiated in 20 BCE Placed on top of the site of the Second Temple Trapezoidal temple mount built on Soloman s stables o Built Herod Palace Fort Antonia First Jewish Revolt o 70 AD Jewish Zealots revolting against Roman rule o Roman General Titus destroyed Jerusalem and second temple o Second Diaspora Al Asqa Mosque 8th century Omayyad Dynasty set up 600 AD Palestine becomes ruled by Islamic dominions o Al Asqa Mosque was built on southern end of mount o Remains the largest mosque in Jerusalem o Contains the Noble Sanctuary Crusaders conquered most and converted it to residence for Kings o Army of Muslims reconquered Jerusalem and mosque and restored its religious function Dome of the Rock Mosque Constructed a century after the Al Asqa o 4 entrances each a cardinal point o 2 concentric rings 1st symbolically represents the secular world 2nd represents the intermediate state between secular world and holy world Inner circle considered center of the world by Muslims Also taken by Crusaders o Restored by army of Muslims Strata of Religious Significance Is important for all Abrahamic religions Jewish Believed to be the site of Mount Moriah Zara Mahmood Professor Belkin AR100 June 18 2013 o Where Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son Isaac o Site of the First and Second Temple Western Wall Kotel Wailing wall o Used as an outdoor synagogue o Symbol of diaspora o Closest to Holy of Holy original temple Islam o Where Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son Isaac o Where Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven Dome of the Rock Well of Souls o Prayer for the holy Dome of Ascension Christians o Where Mohammad prayed before ascending to Heaven o Also has religious and spiritual significance o Events in the life of Jesus occurred at the temple o Temple had gained significance Biblical Archaeology Archaeologists coming to Israel to do Biblical Archaeology o Study of time period relating to the Bible Early exploration of the Temple Mount Edward Robinson 1794 1863 American biblical scholar who defended historical accuracy of Bible Explored Temple Mount and noticed vestiges of antiquity o Noticed a projecting rock from the southern end of the wall Remains of a monumental entrance arc to Second Temple Became known as Robinson s Arc Lieutenant Charles Wilson 1864 elected to lead Royal Engineers to survey in Jerusalem Wailing wall identified another gateway into Second Temple Mount o Called Wilson s arc Charles Warren First to excavate surrounding the Temple Mount Excavated in the 1860s Jerusalem conquered by Israelis from TransJordan 1967 War Removal of Arab homes from Jewish Quarter Western Wall Plaza was created for Prayer Status Quo agreement between Israeli Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan and Muslim Authorities Waqf Zara Mahmood Professor Belkin AR100 June 18 2013 o Made Jerusalem capital and removed Arab homes from Jewish quarter o Israeli reconquered o Palestine maintain Temple Mount but remain holy site for Muslims o Bottom Western Wall would be in hands of Israel Temple Mount Excavations 1968 1978 Benjamin Mazar o Uncovered Herodian temple mount wall o Uncovered Plaza from Herodian Street o Found Micvahs Archaeological Sites and Conflict Site can cause conflict when it is used by multiple groups Several conflicts that have arisen over the Temple Mount o Western Wall Tunnels Conflict 1996 Tunnels were bedrock of national existence o Al Aqsa Intifada 2000 2005 o The Third Temple o Waqf The Muslim Religious Trust and Illegal Digging Archaeology Politics and Identity The use of archaeology in nation making Believed that archaeologists made selective excavations o Validate Israeli claims o Deny Palestinian claims Zionism Israeli Independence War 1947 1949 1949 Armistice Agreements Nationalistic Archaeology The Burnt House Nachman Avigad o Interpretation of story for Israeli Nationalism pride Excavation sites also had national pride and connections between nations o Digging in search of Israelites o Tell Hazor Yigael Yadin Tell Megiddo Determined chronological sequence for Yigael Yadin prominent Israel archaeologist Israeli General and biblical archaeologist Excavated the Bar Kokhba Caves Masada and tell hazor Bar Kohkba Revolt 132 AD 1960 Excavations at the Cave of Letters Zara Mahmood Professor Belkin AR100 June 18 2013 Masada Plateau situated in overlooking the Dead Sea o Famous for use as site and fortress for King Herod o Masada Heroic Jewish History First Jewish Revolt 66 CE Jewish Revel Fighters Zealots flee to Masada Roman Siege of Masada 72 CE Ostraca and Cave of Skeletons o Most important discovery of excavation o Jewish zeaots used for casting lots of mass suicide State Encouragement of Archaeology at Masada