This monograph contains fifteen chapters written by leading scholars from around the world dealing with the archaeological and historical aspects of the Muristan from the Iron Age through to Ottoman times.
This book studies the archaeological record of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, surveying past excavations as well as recent research carried out within the church over the past three decades. An archaeological survey provides historical context for the second part of the book—a collection of primary sources pertinent to the history of the church.
Jerusalem is situated in a highly seismic zone, and in the past has been the theatre of disastrous earthquakes. One of these was the 1927 quake, which seriously damaged the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. A study of the city of Jerusalem has revealed a cyclical pattern of repeated seismic events, every 100 years or so. The desire to avert a danger, foretold in advance, lay behind the project described in this volume. In 2006 the three Major Communities of the Holy Sepulchre invited a research team from Florence University. Architects, surveyors, geologists and structural engineers conducted the investigations, in a highly interdisciplinary collaboration. It was an extraordinary opportunity to draw up a complete survey, using new technology. This resulted in a three-dimensional digital model of the structural situation on that date: a powerful, exhaustive tool for the continuation of further research, and documentation, in the future.
In the 88 years between its establishment by the victorious armies of the First Crusade and its collapse following the disastrous defeat at Hattin, the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem was the site of vibrant artistic and architectural activity. As the crusaders rebuilt some of Christendom's most sacred churches, or embellished others with murals and mosaics, a unique and highly original art was created. Focusing on the sculptural, mosaic, and mural cycles adorning some of the most important shrines in the Kingdom (such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, The Basilica of the Annunciation, and the Church of the Nativity), this book offers a broad perspective of Crusader art and architecture. Among the many aspects discussed are competition among pilgrimage sites, crusader manipulation of biblical models, the image of the Muslim, and others. Building on recent developments in the fields of patronage studies and reception theory, the book offers a study of the complex ways in which Crusader art addressed its diverse audiences (Franks, indigenous eastern Christians, pilgrims) while serving the intentions of its patrons. Of particular interest to scholars and students of the Crusades and of Crusader art, as well as scholars and students of medieval art in general, this book will appeal to all those engaging with intercultural encounters, acculturation, Christian-Muslim relations, pilgrimage, the Holy Land, medieval devotion and theology, Byzantine art, reception theory and medieval patronage.
The book discusses the history and the archaeology of Jerusalem in the Roman period (70-400 CE) following a chronological order, from the establishment of the Tenth Roman Legion’s camp on the ruins of Jerusalem in 70 CE, through the foundation of Aelia Capitolina by Hadrian, in around 130 CE, and the Christianization of the population and the cityscape in the fourth century. Cemeteries around the city, the rural hinterland, and the imperial roads that led to and from Aelia Capitolina are discussed as well. Due to the paucity of historical sources, the book is based on archaeological remains, suggesting a reconstruction of the city's development and a discussion of the population’s identity.
In this broad yet detailed account of one of the world's oldest, holiest, and most contested cities, leading expert Jodi Magness incorporates the most recent archaeological discoveries and original research to weave an authoritative history of Jerusalem's ancient and medieval periods.
Since the early 4th century, Christian pilgrims and visitors to Judea and Galilee have worshipped at and been inspired by monumental churches erected at sites traditionally connected with the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. This book examines the history and archaeology of early Christian holy sites and traditions connected with specific places in order to understand them as interpretations of Jesus and to explore them as instantiations of memories of him. Ryan's overarching aim is to construe these places as instantiations of what historian Pierre Nora has called “lieux de mémoires,” sites where memory crystallizes and, where possible, to track the course and development of the traditions underlying them from their genesis in the Gospel narratives to their eventual solidification in the form of pilgrimage sites. So doing will bring rarely considered evidence to the study of early Christian memory, which in turn helps to illuminate the person of Jesus himself in both history and reception.
Crusader Archaeology examines what life was like for European settlers in the Latin East and how they were influenced by their new-found neighbours. Incorporating recent excavation results and the latest research, this new edition updates the only detailed study of the material culture of the Frankish settlers in Israel, Cyprus, Syria and Jordan. Adrian Boas provides comprehensive coverage of the key topics connected to crusader archaeology, including an examination of urban and rural settlements, agriculture, industry, the military, the church, public and private architecture, arts and crafts, leisure pursuits, death and burial and building techniques. There are also entirely new chapters on domestic architecture and disease, injury and medical treatment. Drawing on the extensive experience of an established writer in the field, Crusader Archaeology effectively combines a broad body of material to introduce readers to the archaeological research of the region. This well-illustrated volume is a crucial survey for all those interested in the Middle Ages, and in particular the Crusades.
The title of the volume may be a little perplexing: Archaeology on Either Side. But on either side of what? The picture we chose for the front cover might give an indication of the answer. This image shows two sides of the River Jordan – the Israeli side and the Jordanian side – both part of the Holy Land! Or we might understand the “either side” of our topic in another way, that is, archaeology both as the study of artifacts and archaeology as the study of literary sources. In the contributions the reader will find all these topics and much more: essays on excavations or archaeological findings in the Holy Land as defined above, and essays on literary sources linked to the history of the ancient Near East, especially in the time of the Christian/Common Era (CE). The book is made up of three main sections: “Excavations and Topographical Surveys”; “Architecture, Decorations, and Art”; “Epigraphy and Sigillography”. Some articles touch on more than one specific section, so they may be found between sections.