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Between the Temple Mount/Haram El-Sharı¯F and the Holy Sepulchre: Archaeological Involvement in Jerusalem’S Holy Places

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Between the Temple Mount/Haram El-Sharı¯F and the Holy Sepulchre: Archaeological Involvement in Jerusalem’S Holy Places Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology 19.2 (2006) 259-288 ISSN (Print) 0952-7648 ISSN (Online) 1743-1700 Between the Temple Mount/Haram el-Sharı¯f and the Holy Sepulchre: Archaeological Involvement in Jerusalem’s Holy Places Gideon Avni and Jon Seligman Israel Antiquities Authority, P.O.B. 586, Jerusalem 91004, Israel E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Abstract Archaeological involvement in the holy places of Jerusalem has become a focus of professional and pub- lic concern during recent years. The two sacred areas of the Temple Mount and the Holy Sepulchre combine their role as historical and architectural monuments of supreme importance with their daily use as central religious sites. The connection between scholars, mainly archaeologists and architects, who studied these monuments, and the local religious authorities in charge of the holy sites has accompanied research on Jerusalem since the mid-nineteenth century. The main issues to be analyzed in this paper are related to the ways archaeologists and other scholars are involved with the major holy sites of Jerusalem: how the ‘owners’ of the Temple Mount and the Holy Sepulchre viewed these scholars and their research; to what degree they were prepared to cooperate with them; what their motives were for doing so and how archaeologists and other researchers operated and adhered to scholarly interests in such complex sites. The Jerusalem case study is used to investigate the larger scope of interrelations between the academic world and the religious ‘owners’ of holy sites in other locations. Keywords: Jerusalem, religion and nationalism, holy places, site ownership, public archaeology Introduction struction works carried out by the Islamic reli- The connection between scholars and religious gious authorities (Waqf) at the site (Berkovitz authorities has accompanied modern research 2000; 2001; Avni and Seligman 2001; Klein in Jerusalem since the mid-nineteenth century, 2003: 97-99). At the Holy Sepulchre the but only recently has archaeological involve- archaeological and architectural study of the ment in the holy sites of the city became a monument has formed the background for the focus of professional and public concern. The complex issues of the physical division of the place of archaeology has been central to the church between the communities and their political and public debate between Israelis rights within the holy site. The two sacred and Palestinians over the ownership of the areas are characterized by being both histori- Temple Mount/Haram el-Sharı¯f, particularly in cal and architectural monuments of supreme the context of the future political settlement importance, as well as central religious sites of the Jerusalem issue (Klein 2003). At the that are used on a daily basis. same time, issues related to the archaeological The holy sites of Jerusalem represent one protection of these ancient monuments have of the most complicated cases of scholarly been aggravated following the destruction of involvement in the debate concerning the archaeological layers in the course of con- religious and national possession of major © The Fund for Mediterranean Archaeology/Equinox Publishing Ltd., 2006 doi: 10.1558//jmea.2006.19.2.259 260 Avni and Seligman historical monuments, which raises several site. To what extent are the data provided by fundamental questions regarding the attitude the researcher and his/her interpretation being contemporary religious groups hold about the manipulated in order that the religious group past. In a wider scope, the study of archaeo- involved will get its required benefits? logical exploration of holy sites can be used We address these questions from the per- as a tool for understanding the perception of spective of the involvement of scholars, rep- the past among religious and ethnic groups resentatives of academic and governmental in other locations around the globe. Recent institutions, specifically considering the two academic discussions on the meaning of the main religious shrines of Jerusalem: the Tem- past in the collective memory of contemporary ple Mount/Haram el-Sharı¯f and the Church of societies (e.g. Lowenthal 1985; Nora 1989; the Holy Sepulchre (Figure 1). We attempt to Fowler 1995; Shama 1996; Alcock 2002) do assess the connection between scholars who not pay special attention to major religious have studied these two monuments and the and sacred sites. The impact of such sites on religious communities who run the holy sites, religious movements has recently become a serving a large number of believers. The main focus of scholarly attention (e.g. Carmichael et questions analysed are how the involvement of al. 1994; Arbel 2005 and references therein). archaeologists and other scholars was defined: As most of these sites are located within how the ‘owners’ viewed these researchers and ancient monuments, they are also the focus their work, to what degree they were prepared of archaeological research. While the study of to cooperate with them, what their motives nationalism and archaeology has been one of were for doing so and how the researchers the most hotly debated topics of the last dec- operated and adhered to scholarly interests in ade (e.g. Trigger 1984; Silberman 1989; Kohl such complex sites. and Fawcett 1995; Kohl 1998; Meskell 1998; During the last 150 years archaeologists, Abu El-Haj 2001; Kane 2003), the role of architects and art historians have been active archaeology in providing ‘evidence’ for a real in research on and conservation of the two or presumed connection between a modern religious monuments. Complicated relation- religious movement and its ethnic or religious ships have developed between the scholarly roots has been somewhat neglected. and academic communities, and governmental Examining the attitude of different religious institutions, on the one hand, and the rep- groups to the sites they possess or claim is resentatives of the holy sites, the owners, on one of the most feasible ways to understand the other—the Waqf on the Temple Mount/ their attitude to the physical manifestation of Haram es-Sharı¯f, and the leaders of the Chris- their ‘roots’ or collective memory. By review- tian communities in the Holy Sepulchre. The ing the relationships formed between scholars reason for scholarly interest is clear, not least involved in the study of the holy sites in Jeru- that these sites are among the most important salem and the leaders of the different religious centres of religious worship in the Holy Land communities, we will try to define the differing and the focus of large-scale pilgrimage involv- perceptions of the past within modern religious ing three major faiths. The Temple Mount establishments. and the Holy Sepulchre were also the focus One of the primary questions related to of urban development in the city of Jerusalem the condensed religious surroundings of most throughout much of its history, thus further sacred monuments that rely on ancient remains attracting scholarly interest. is the role of the professional archaeologist, In opposition to the desires of various schol- architect or art historian in interpreting the ars to collect every item of data at the two sites © The Fund for Mediterranean Archaeology/Equinox Publishing Ltd., 2006 Between the Temple Mount/Haram el-Sharı¯f and the Holy Sepulchre 261 Figure 1. Map of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Temple Mount/Haram el-Sharı¯f and Holy Sepulchre compounds are indicated. To the west of the Temple mount is the Wailing Wall and the ‘Western Wall Tunnels’. The Temple Mount platform and its monuments are under Waqf control and the Wailing Wall and ‘Western Wall Tunnels’ are under Israeli religious authorities control. The large excavation area to the south and southwest of the Temple Mount was developed in recent years as an open air archaeological park (Jerusalem Archaeological Park). © The Fund for Mediterranean Archaeology/Equinox Publishing Ltd., 2006 262 Avni and Seligman stood the religious complexity that severely with the easing of access restrictions for west- limited the possibilities to conduct proper aca- ern travellers and scholars. Up to that time demic research. Because both sites operated non-Muslims were banned from entry to the as central active places of worship and were sacred enclosure, and information was based maintained by religious authorities, large-scale on observation from the surrounding buildings. archaeological excavations were not possible. Only a few intrepid explorers and travellers In spite of this, detailed archaeological and actually visited the Mount and documented architectural surveys and documentation stud- some of its elements, although their descrip- ies have been conducted at both sites. From tions were general in nature and did not time to time it was possible for archaeologists include the underground spaces. to conduct limited excavations where renova- The situation changed after the Crimean tions or repairs were required following earth War. Beginning in the late 1850s, western tremors or various kinds of development. scholars were allowed to visit the Temple Mount in return for payment, the Muslim Archaeological Research at the Temple authorities turning a blind eye to activities Mount/Haram el-Sharı¯f (Figure 2) documenting the enclosure and its under- ground spaces. The first scholars who wrote Modern archaeological research at the Temple about the Mount and associated underground Mount began in the mid-nineteenth century areas in detail were James Thomas Barclay
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