'Jerusalem Through the Ages': What archaeology reveals about the history of Jerusalem - review

In her new book, Jerusalem Through the Ages, Israeli archaeologist Jodi Magness, a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, begins by asking why another book about Jerusalem is needed.

Unlike other books, Magness explains, her book is not only a history of the city – up to and including the Crusader period – but also integrates more than a century of archaeological discoveries. A virtual encyclopedia of information, the book includes many details that she and others have revealed.

This is both positive and a challenge for readers; it’s dense, meticulous, and sometimes overwhelming.

A meticulous and dense history of Jerusalem

She begins at the beginning, the five millennial-old geological process and the city’s early settlers. The reason that this area was chosen was that it was on a natural crossroads and had a constant water source, the Gihon Spring. For Jews, Jerusalem was designated as a holy site because of the tradition that it was the place where Abraham brought Isaac to be sacrificed, and where eventually the First and Second Temples were built and where Jewish civilizations flourished. 

For Christians, it was the place where Jesus lived, taught, died, and was buried, and where many churches were built to commemorate historical figures and events. For Muslims, it was visited by Mohammed, and after his death, where important mosques were built on the Haram/Temple Mount. Therefore, it uniquely became a holy city to three religions and was often the source of conflicting power/theological struggles. Known as “the city of peace,” ironically it has experienced many wars.

The book follows the city’s historical evolution from the Jebusite period, through Jewish settlement, Jewish monarchy and sovereignty, destruction by Persian, Babylonian, and Roman armies, the Early Christian period, beginning with Constantine in the 4th century, the Early Islamic Period, beginning in the 7th century, and finally the Crusaders. The city was conquered by Saladin on September 30, 1187, by Arab forces led by Saladin. The book is replete with maps, drawings, and photographs related to each period and many archaeological finds.

During the Early Islamic Period, structures were built on the Temple Mount, including the Mosque of Umar, the Dome of the Rock around the Foundation Stone, a remnant of the Temple, on the northwestern side of the plaza area, and the al-Aqsa Mosque on the southeastern side. Magness’ description of these structures and their importance is fascinating. “Unlike the Dome of the Rock which is founded on bedrock, al-Aqsa Mosque is built over underground arches (“Solomon’s Stables”) that support the southern end of the esplanade.” It could not, therefore, be on the site of the holy Temples.

“To the east of the Dome of the Rock is an enigmatic monument called the Dome of the Chain…The function of the Dome of the Chain is unknown. The monument lies in the exact center of the Haram, at the intersection of the two main axes and next to the rocky outcrop (Foundation Stone).” Some have called this “the center of the world.”

A decade ago, the Israeli government allowed the Muslim authorities to renovate al-Aqsa Mosque and the surrounding area. Hundreds of truckloads of earth were removed and dumped in the valley below, where volunteers have been sifting the dirt and discovering relics, coins, etc., from the First and Second Temple periods. This is an ongoing project, with participants from around the world.

The book is an invaluable resource which you will enjoy reading, and being inspired. For those interested, the Temple Mount Sifting Project can be reached at: contact@tmsifting.org.■

• Jerusalem Through the Ages: From Its Beginnings to the Crusades
• Jodi Magness
• Oxford University Press, 2024
• 613 pages; $39.99