Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 13.djvu/673

JEEUSALEM 643 in many cases retain Arabic names at least four hundred years old. They are arched over here and there, and the bazaars, with portions of the Via Dolorosa and of other streets, are entirely covered in. There are now four quarters: that of the Moslems (including the Haram) on the north-east, the Jewish quarter on the south-east, the Armenian quarter on the south-west, the Christian on the north- west. The quarters are bounded by David (or Temple) Street, running east from the Jaffa gate, and by the street running north and south immediately east of the Holy Sepulchre (called Hdrat el Yehiid on the south and Tarik Bab el Amiid on the north). The quarters are not, how ever, exclusively occupied by any nationality, many rich Jews having houses in the Armenian and even in the Moslem quarter. In the 12th century the present Moslem quarter wag occupied by the Jews, and called the Juiverie. Viewed from the Mount of Olives, the most conspicuous object is the Haram enclosure, occupying nearly one-sixth of the city, with the Dome of the Rock rising in the centre and the Aksa mosque extending to the southern wall, while between these two buildings are the tall cypresses which surround the fountain El Kds. Arcades with pointed arches stand on the nights of steps leading to the platform surrounding the Dome of the Rock, and three minarets rise from the west and north walls, while the great eastern rampart is unbroken save by the projecting tower of the Golden gate. In the Jewish quarter two large synagogues with domes one painted green are conspicuous, while the church and convent of St James is the special feature of the Armenian quarter. Close to the Jaffa gate rise the square tower of David and a minaret within the citadel, while immediately east of this fortress stands the Protestant English church and the large palace of the Anglo-German Protestant bishop. North-east of these are seen the two domes of the rotunda and choir of the Holy Sepulchre, and immediately south of them the minaret of Omar s mosque on the site of the great hospital of St John. The modern Latin cathedral and patriarchate appear behind the Holy Sepulchre church, while the highest ground outside the city on the north-west is occupied by the Russian cathedral, hospice, and consulate, only completed in 1866. The country round the city is barren and stony. Olive groves exist on the north, and the white slopes of Olivet are clotted with the trees whence it is named. Vineyards also exist on the west, but since the destruction of the fruit trees by Titus (B. J., v. 3, 2) the vicinity of Jerusalem seems always to have presented a sterile appearance. The number of churches and monasteries in the modern city, without counting many crusading chapels now either in ruins or else converted into mosques, is very large. There are 18 monasteries of the Greek Orthodox sect, 8 Catholic (or Latin), including the patriarchate, 3 Armenian, 2 Coptic, 1 Syrian, 1 Armenian Catholic, 1 Greek Catholic, and 1 Abyssinian. The Protestant institutions, including schools, <fcc., number 14 in all. In the Jewish quarter there are no less than 14 synagogues and 2 schools. There are also many charitable institutions in and near the city, of which the principal are Rothschild s hospital near the south wall, founded in 1855, and Sir Moses Montefiore s alms-houses, west of the great reservoir called Birket es Sultan. In the centre of the city excavations have been carded on by the German Government (to whom the site was given by the sultan) in the grounds of the crusading convent of Sta. Maria Magna (now called El Nuristdn] immediately east of the hospital of St John ; a Lutheran chapel is now established in the ruins. The Moslem buildings of the city date principally from the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, and some of the ancient Moslem schools near the Haram are remarkably solid structures. There are two barracks, one ou the scarped rock (Antonia) north of the Haram, the other in tie citadel on the south-west. The serai or court-house is near the former. All the European powers are represented by resident consuls, and every nationality has some kind of hospice or hotel for the reception of pilgrims. The market-places have remained unchanged from very early times, the upper or vegetable market being in the upper city opposite the tower of David, and the bazaars or lower markets in the valley north of David Street. The money-changers occupy the site of the old exchange of the 12th century (first established by Charlemagne) in the western portion of David Street. Jerusalem under the Turks is the capital of southern Palestine (about 2000 -square miles), and the seat of a mutasarrif under the wCdy of Syria. The inejlis or town council consists of 8 members : 4 Moslem, 3 Christian, 1 Jewish, the latter being the chief rabbi of the Sephardim. The export trade of the city consists chiefly of oil, corn, sesame, cotton (of poor quality), and soap, also of rosaries, crucifixes, and cameos, carved in olive wood and mother of pearl. The imports in 1871 amounted to 72,000, includ ing cotton, wool, hardware, timber, silk, and glass from England and Austria ; wines and spirits from France ; and 3500 value of flour from Russia. Rice is imported in coasting vessels from Egypt; wine, spirits, dried fish, <kc., from Cyprus and the Greek islands ; carpets and shawls are brought by the Moslem and Christian pilgrims. There are also a few potteries in the city. The present cemeteries of Jerusalem are six in number. The Moslem inhabitants bury immediately outside the east wall of the Haram, especially beside and north of the Golden gate, while a second Moslem cemetery exists on the knoll of Jeremiah s grotto, and a third (on the site of the old Carnarium Leonis) is close to the Mamilla pool west of the city. The Christians have cemeteries on the south-west of the brow of Sion, and the Jews are buried on Olivet opposite the temple, excepting the Karaites who have a cemetery on the south-east part of Sion. The remains of an old Christian cemetery, including tombs belonging to the old church of St Sion, are found in the southern boundary valley, and there are a few sepulchres of crusading date near the north-east corner of Jerusalem on the outside. Of the ancient Jewish tombs the most striking are that known as the Tombs of the Kings, and the monument called Absalom s tomb on the east of the Kidron valley, which is perhaps the tomb of Alexander Jannseus (B. J., v. 7, 2). The climate of Jerusalem is healthy in comparison with that of the plains beneath it. A fresh sea breeze blows throughout the day in summer, and the average daily maximum temperature is 86 F. August is the hottest month, but in May the prevalence of dry east winds is specially trying. The autumn months are very unhealthy. In winter there are occasionally heavy falls of snow, whioli lies on the hills for several days. The waters of the Bir Eyiib overflow annually through a hole in the ground near the well, and a running stream then flows for many days down the Kidron valley. This overflow is a cause of re joicing to the inhabitants, who make it a holiday occasion. The annual rainfall averages about 18 inches. Years of drought occasionally occur, when the inhabitants of the city suffer much from want of water. The repair of the aqueduct from Bethlehem and of the large reservoirs in the city would, however, be sufficient to ensure a plentiful supply. The present supply is obtained priucipally from cisterns under the houses. Slight shocks of earthquake are occasionally experienced (as for instance in 1874), and appear to have been specially prevalent in the 8th and llth centuries (ff. Zech. xiv. 5). The population of Jerusalem, stated in 1838 at about 11,000, has increased rapidly of late years, owing to a