THE SEPULCHRES OF THE KINGS

OF JUDAH.

IN exploring the environs of Jerusalem, there is no feature of the scenery with which the traveller is more struck than with the myriads of rock-tombs which arrest the eye in all directions. The valleys and the hill-sides are everywhere honeycombed with caverns, in whose quiet chambers the warrior, the priest, the noble, and the simple citizen of the Holy City of the old Bible times found rest from all the labours and agitations of their lives. In these entrance halls to the vast realm of Silence and of Death, generation after generation has been gathered to its fathers; and here, too, in modern days, hoary descendants of the long-exiled race are ever coming, from all lands, in solemn pilgrimage, to lay their weary bones side by side with those of prophets, and patriarchs, and kings, and holy men of old. The very dust of these old sepulchres is sacred and precious in their eyes.

Standing out distinctively from the multitude of ordinary caverns, are a few which proclaim by their magnitude and ruined magnificence that they were originally constructed for the interment of eminent personages, whom the Jewish nation delighted to honour in death, if not in life. Great uncertainty, however, exists as to the real occupants of these tombs. The hands of a succession of spoliators have been heavy upon them, through a period of nearly twenty centuries; so that few traces survive which would be likely to lead to the certain identification of any particular tomb. One of the largest and most remarkable of these rock-hewn resting-places of the dead is that commonly known as the Tombs of the Kings. This funeral monument is situated about 500 yards outside the northern portion of the city walls, and cannot fail to arrest the attention of an observant person leaving Jerusalem by the Damascus gate, and taking the road

to Nâbulus. Tradition, we know, is by no means a safe guide as regards the sacred localities and antiquities of Palestine; yet it is certainly worthy of note that, in this instance, whether the Jews, the Mohammedans, or the Christians of the country be referred to, they bear one uniform testimony to the belief that we have here the royal sepulchres of Judah, in which were interred the ancient line of kings from David to the Captivity.

Let us pay an imaginary visit to this last earthly home of the illustrious dead. Turning aside, then, to the right of the great northern road as it leaves the capital, we soon find ourselves in front of a semicircular gateway, pierced through the rock, and which is almost entirely blocked up with accumulations of rubbish, over which it is extremely difficult to grope. This, however, is the way of access to the tombs; and, if we would examine them, we must struggle through. Well, the task is performed; and emerging from the other side of the archway, we have before us a large square court, excavated out of the solid rock, the walls of which are perpendicular. The scene reminds one somewhat of the entrance to a railway tunnel, except that the top of the rocky sides, by which we are hemmed in, is not so high above our heads as the walls of a deep railway cutting. The floor of this court, though probably once kept beautifully smooth and clean, is now encumbered with hillocks and mounds of rubbish. But see! in front of us as we enter, there is a richly ornamented porch, through which, we presume, lies our way into the silent vaults. The appearance which it presents is shown in the accompanying engraving. It is truly a spectacle of grandeur in decay.

At the upper part of the picture may be seen the rough face of the rocky wall at the back of the sunken court, in the midst of which the figures depicted are supposed to be sitting and standing. At the base of the wall is a spacious portico, smoothly excavated from the living rock. Originally, it was twenty-seven feet in

breadth; but at present, on the right hand side, it is choked with fallen fragments. The front of it was formerly supported by two columns, traces of which are still visible. Above the porch runs a long frieze, carved with exquisite taste and delicacy. The centre is occupied by a bunch of grapes, an emblem of the promised land (not, however, clearly shown in the engraving); while extending quite across, and partially hanging down the sides, is a rich tracery-work of fruits, garlands of flowers, and other elegant artistic devices. Dr. Robinson pronounces this the finest specimen of sculpture existing in or around Jerusalem. The presence of a large fissure dividing obliquely the architrave and lintel of this porch, shows at once that an earthquake must have damaged the monument, and thrown down the two columns by which it was originally adorned.

But where is the entrance to the vaults? we hear our companions asking. Well, the first glance around us fails to detect it. At length, however, as the result of a closer inspection, we discover, at the further end of the left-hand wall and close to the level of the floor, a very low, small aperture, through which it is only possible to pass by crawling. This is the only means of access to the interior known in the present day. The arrangements for closing and unclosing this entrance, by means of a stone discus or door, are exceedingly ingenious and clever. A description of the mechanical devices resorted to for the protection of the royal inmates will be found in De Sauley's Journey in Syria." With some trifling exceptions, the whole of the closing apparatus is, he affirms, in the same state in which it was left by the consummate architect who constructed it.

Having wriggled through this contracted portal on our hands and knees, bruising ourselves not a little with the loose stones which have been allowed to accumulate, we find ourselves in a square, gloomy antechamber, with nothing but rock above, beneath