The Archaeology of Jerusalem: From the Origins to the Ottomans

This chronological survey of Jerusalem’s complex archaeology begins with a description of flint tools from the Chalcolithic period (fourth millennium B.C.E.) and ends with the Ottomans in 1917. As they guide readers through various archaeological periods, the authors—Galor is an expert in Judaic studies and architecture and Bloedhorn is an expert in the archeology of Jerusalem—lucidly identify distinctive ancient finds and explain their significance. An ancient Bronze Age water system shows how early settlement was made possible in this semiarid mountainous area. Jerusalem’s destruction by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. is evident in layers of burnt remains uncovered in Iron Age dwellings. Well-preserved Hellenistic houses uncovered in Jerusalem’s Jewish Quarter feature high-quality artistic flourishes that demonstrate the status of Jews living there before the destruction of the Second Temple. Marble statuettes of gods and board games possibly incised by soldiers on paving stones attest to the Roman occupation, Byzantine oil lamps with inscriptions about Christ’s light confirm a Christian presence, and the Mamluk-built Aqsa Mosque demonstrates Jerusalem’s significance to Islam. Although authoritative from an archaeological standpoint and generously illustrated, the dry narrative is neither suitable for a wider, nonprofessional audience nor does it enliven the historical anecdotes. Illus. (Dec.)