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November 27th - Day 15
November 27th - Day 15
These past two weeks were such an incredible adventure, it's hard to believe that today was our last full day in Israel.
These past two weeks were such an incredible adventure, it's hard to believe that today was our last full day in Israel.
But before we left, there were still a number of places we dearly wanted to see. One of them was, fittingly enough, the Israel Museum. Among many of the artifacts found there, one that is most treasured in all of Israel are the Dead Sea Scrolls. Another, which I simply had to visit again was the Western Wall. It was a great day, and a lovely way to complete our visit.
But before we left, there were still a number of places we dearly wanted to see. One of them was, fittingly enough, the Israel Museum. Among many of the artifacts found there, one that is most treasured in all of Israel are the Dead Sea Scrolls. Another, which I simply had to visit again was the Western Wall. It was a great day, and a lovely way to complete our visit.
I made my way back to the Western Wall, this time passing through the Damascus Gate, into the Arab section of the Old City.
The Western Wall is the closest to holiest site in Judaism, the Foundation Stone. It was originally built as part of the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple begun by Herod the Great, and is encases the steep, natural hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount,
The Foundation Stone, which is inaccessible to Jews, is the place where Jewish tradition holds the world expanded into its present form and where God gathered the dust used to create the first human, Adam. It is also considered to be the site on Mount Moriah, where Abraham attempted to sacrifice his son. For these and other reasons, the Foundation Stone forms the direction that Jews face when praying the Amidah, the central prayer in Jewish liturgy.
The Dome of the Rock, on the site of the temple mount. The Western Wall is just below it.
The Israel Museum, and the unique Shrine of the Book complex, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Aleppo Codex, among the world's oldest copies of biblical and historical books.
Chaolithic religious artifacts, 6,500-5,500 years old, that were found in a treasure cache located near Ein Gedi. They are believed to have been placed by priests serving in the ancient temple Stan saw on Day 13.
A crown that was found together with the Chaolithic treasure cache near Ein Gedi. Scholars believe it to be one of the oldest crowns in the world. We had no idea this, and other objects from the temple Stan hiked up to, were located at the Israel Museum. It was very exciting to have found them.
This tiny clay cuneiform tablet (approx. 4 cm long, 2 cm wide) is a set of multiplication tables, likely used by a student who was practicing with them in a similar manner to what students do today. However, this set of multiplication tables uses base 60, instead of base 10! The photo album below shows details how it worked.
King Herod's sarcophagus. Herod, who died in 4 BCE, is mentioned in the Bible as part of story of the birth of Jesus, which is believed to have taken place sometime between 6 and 4 BCE. When, after a 35 year search, archaeologists discovered it on top of a large burial monument in 2007, it had been shattered in hundreds of pieces, likely during the first Jewish revolt in the years 66-72 C.E. Here it is after it was painstakingly reconstructed.
and images below for an additional gallery of the Israel Museum
and images below for an additional gallery of the Israel Museum
Return to Hilary and Stan in Israel 2018
Return to Hilary and Stan in Israel 2018
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