744 REPORT— 1888. 



la addition to the above lie has surveyed and written a pamphlet on the ancient 

 PeUa. 



Herr Schumacher has examined numerous dolmens, and come to the conclusion 

 that they are sepulchral in their origin. 



A large part of eastern Palestine still remains to be surveyed ; a work which 

 ought to he carried out at the first opportunity. 



7. Jeiixsalem : Nehemiah's Wall and the Royal Sepxilchres. 

 By Geoege St. Clair, F.G.S. 



The topography of ancient Jerusalem has heen difficult to make out, and the 

 site of the sepulchres of the kings of Judah remains unknown. But the problem 

 has been simplified by recent excavations, with which the writer has a professional 

 acquaintance. We now for the first time know the contours of the rock and the 

 features of hill and valley before the 80 ft. of debi-is began to accumulate. 



The Akra of the Maccabees being identified, it is seen how, by the recorded 

 filling up of the Asmonean valley, the two parts of the Lower City became joined 

 into one crescent, lying with its concave side towards the Upper City, according to 

 the description of Josephus. 



The investigations of Sir Charles AVarren show that the temple must be placed 

 on the summit of Moriah, with Solomon's palace south-east of it, leaving a vacant 

 square of 300 ft. where now we have the S.W. corner of the Haram area. 



From the S.E. corner of the Haram enclosure extends the wall of Ophel, dis- 

 covered by Warren, running 76 ft. to the south, then bending towards the south- 

 west. Further, it is found that from the Gate of the Chain, in the west wall of 

 the Haram enclosure, a causeway, with complicated structures, extends westward 

 towards the Jaffa Gate. 



Having this groundwork we may proceed to place the walls : — 



The third wall, built by Agrippa, does not concern us. 



As regards the second wall, it suffices for the present purpose to adopt the line 

 of Herr Com-ad Schick. 



The first wall was the wall of the Upper City. On the northern side it ran from 

 the Jaffa Gate to the Haram wall. The uncertainty has been about its southern 

 portion. The author gives, on a diagram, the line he has been led to adopt, and 

 then shows that it corresponds in detail with the descriptions in the Book of 

 Nehemiah. Taking Nehemiah's night suney, then the consecutive allotments of 

 work assigned to those who repaired the walls, and, thirdly, the pouits successively 

 reached and passed by the processionists when the walls were dedicated, it is shown 

 that every mention of a gate or a tower, the number and the order of salient and 

 re-entering angles, and every other note of locality, exactly agree with the coui-se of 

 the walls as suggested. 



This course, moreover, involves the least possible variation from the present 

 line of walls, and that more in the way of addition than of deviation. 



The hypothesis, commending itself as true, by corresponding minutely with 

 Nehemiah's descriptions, by tallying exactly with other Biblical references, and by 

 meeting all the requirements of the case, has this important practical bearing, 

 that it indicates the site of the royal sepulchres, of the stairs of the City of David, 

 of ' the gate between two walls,' &c,, and shows incontestably that Zion was the 

 eastern hill. 



SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8. 

 The Section did not meet. 



