Identifier: landbookorbibli02thom (find matches)
Title: The land and the Book; or, Biblical illustrations drawn from the manners and customs, the scenes and scenery of the Holy Land
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Thomson, William McClure, 1806-1894
Subjects: Bible Bible
Publisher: New York, Harper
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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and Zeitun—olive. The original city stood on the hill where the palace,mosques, khans, and nearly all the stone houses now are.This was its position when Alexander besieged and took it,according to Arrian; and many granite and marble col-umns, and heavy old stones, mingled with more recent work,on this hill, go to confirm the fact. This, too, is the tradi-tion of the place; and the people know of no other site forancient Gaza. I suppose, therefore, that Dr. Keith is mis-taken in his theory on that subject. There is, however, anold tradition, given by Reland, that the original city wasdeserted, and a new Gaza erected on another spot. Jeromealso seems to intimate something of this kind; but perhapsnothing more is meant than some new suburb around theold site on the main hill, just as the two haras or wards,called Sejariyeli, have arisen in the vale to the southeast ofthe present town. An air of decay hangs over Gaza, partlybecause many buildings are really falling to ruins, and part-
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1 HOUSES OF GAZA—SOAP MANUFACTURE. 387 \j because the stone out of which it is built is old and satu-rated with saltpetre, which effloresces, and disintegrates withgreat rapidity. A house soon comes to look old that isbuilt of these rotten ruins. On the southwest of the cityare the quarantine buildings, erected by the present gov-ernment out of this same description of stone, and they al-ready show signs of decay. The mosque, most conspicu-ous for its massive minaret, is believed to have been a Chris-tian church, and is still known by the name of Dier Han-nah. Dr. Eobinson gives a particular description of thischurch, and thinks it may possibly date back as far as thebeginning of the fifth century. Bonaparte is said to havedestroj^ed this castle east of our Mian^ and, at any rate, itsoverthrow is comparatively recent. Those travelers aremistaken who say that the sea is not visible from Gaza.We have seen it from various points, over and beyond thegreat olive-groves; but, of course, i

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