Biblical Hebrew Forum

[יונתן ספרן <yonsaf AT beitberl.ac.il>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Lyris [mailto:lyris-admin AT franklin.oit.unc.edu]
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2000 8:57 AM
To: yonsaf AT beitberl.ac.il
Subject: Re: Excavations on the Temple Mount


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To: "Biblical Hebrew (E-mail)" <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: Excavations on the Temple Mount
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 08:59:01 +0200
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Dear Lewis,
I don't know if you or anone else on this list is aware of the massive  and
destructive excavations that have been carried out by the Muslim waqf on the
Temple Mount recently, that were both reported in the Israeli newspapers and
described by an Israeli archeologist on another discussion list, ANE, I
believe.
These excavations, or "renovations", have destroyed irrecoverable
archeological evidence of what once existed on the Temple Mount. The purpose
of these excavations may or may have not been political, i.e., to erase any
trace of ancient Jewish construction on the Mount.
Imagine the outcry that would have arisen in the Muslim world had Israeli
authorities done the same thing.
Sincerely,
Jonathan D. Safren
Dept. of Biblical Studies
Beit Berl College
44905 Beit Berl Post Office
Israel

-----Original Message-----
From: Lewis Reich [mailto:lewreich AT javanet.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2000 8:39 AM
To: Biblical Hebrew
Subject: Re: Deuteronomic King


On 12 Feb 00, at 14:28, Robert Vining wrote:

>  Same for Solomon whose magnificent Temple has left not a trace.

This is not quite accurate.  We do not know what traces of
Solomon's Temple are left because the Temple Mount has not
been archeologically surveyed or excavated. While it would not be
realistic to expect to find any remnants of its superstructure, in view
of the First Temple's destruction, and its replacement by later
buildings, its foundations might be found, as well as the retaining
walls of the earlier, smaller Temple Mount esplanade.

Lewis Reich

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