.- r' ■<■"-"'** ^h^^^ 







THE ACROPOLIS OF SAMARIA 



The city of Samaria from its inception overshadowed its rival, Shechem, and perhaps 

 tinder Roman rule attained the pinnacle of its glory. The Emperor Augustus presented 

 it to Herod the Great, who rehuilt and embellished it after the Roman style and renamed 

 it Sebaste. 



melted butter and thick syrup are poured 

 over it until it is literally soaked with the 

 mixture. 



From the chief market-place the Sa- 

 maritan Quarter of Nablus is approached 

 from the north through long, tunnel-like 

 lanes which lead to the very foot of the 

 sacred mountain. 



Just above the city, Gerizim is steep 

 and rocky, and the trees disappear. In 

 summer the mountain side is gray and 

 barren, but in winter even the smallest 



patches of earth are scratched with 

 primitive plows and sown with wheat or 

 barley. 



TllF FRIENDLY CACTUS 



Across from the town the slopes of 

 Ebal present a very different picture. 

 Equally rocky, they are still perennially 

 green with cactus bushes planted among 

 the rock ledges, which are curiously stud- 

 ded with ancient sepulchers, whose open 

 doors from a distance reveal onlv the 



