Sepulchre of the Sons of David [pp. 257]

THE
LAD I E
S
REPOSITORY
CINCINNATI, SEPTEMBER, 1845.
SEPULCHRE OF THE SONS OF DAVID.
(SEE ENGRAVING.)
THE dead are generally embalmed, burned, in terred, or exposed. No nation brought the art of
embalming so near perfection as Egypt, whose
mummies, at the lapse of three thousand years,
are found in an admirable state of preservation.
The Romans and Greeks burned their dead, that
the body, impure by the departure of the soul,
might be purified, and that the soul, separated
from gross matter, might ascend to the celestial
mansions. Interment has been practiced from a
very early period, and has been adopted by all
Christian nations. The followers of Zoroaster ex pose their dead (upon a platform erected for the
purpose, and inclosed with massy walls) to the
wolves and vultures. This practice originated in the
idea that the pure elements of earth and fire would
be contaminated by being the instruments of disso lution. "The Tonlbs of the Kings," is a monu.
ment about half a mile north of Jerusalem, east of
the Damascus road. Relative to its proper name
and object there has been some discussion. The fol lowing description of it is from Dr. Olin's Travels:
"It is not, like the other tombs about Jerusalem,
excavated in a perpendicular cliff. The ground
is level, though formed of solid limestone, and
the work was commenced by hewing out a quad rangular area, thirty paces in length and twenty seven wide, by a depth of from fifteen to twenty
feet. The sides are perpendicular and smooth, and
the whole work is below the surface of the earth,
so that one must approach quite to the brink of
this deep cavity before he perceives it. Several fine
olive and fig trees, I believe three, flourish in the
mass of rubbish which has accumulated in the bottom of this excavation. Parallel with its southern
side a trench is cut in the rock thirty-four paces
long and ten wide, descending gradually from west
to east, till it reaches a depth equal to that of the
court. The separating wall is about six feet in
thickness, and the connection is formed near the
eastern end by a broad arched doorvny, ornamented
with a simple molding, now nearly obliterated, and
VOL. V.-33
so choked with accumulations that I was compelled
to stoop very low to enter.
"In the western end of this spacious court a portico is excavated, twelve paces in length from north
to south, and five paces wide, by about sixteen feet
high, a stratum of thre rock being left, which serves
as a roof to the portico, while the court is open to
the heavens. The edge of this stratum, above the
entrance, is exquisitely sculptured, and forms a beautiful architrave of fruits and flowers, running along
its entire length and hanging gracefully down at
either extremity. Above this rich and tasteful border, and over the centre of the entrance, are noble
clusters of grapes in the midst of flowers, and other
architectural decorations. This fine specimen of
sculpture is a good deal mutilated, but considerable
portions of it remain entire. The front of the portico was supported by two central columns, which
have been broken away, and two others, at the
ends, have shared the same fate.
"This spacious and splendid portico is only the
vestibule to the tombs, which are entered from its
southern end. The doorway is adorned with an
architrave, but is so low and so obstructed with
loose stones and earth that I was compelled, in entering, to lie flat upon the ground, and draw myself forward as well as I could with my hands.
The stones seemed to have been placed there for
the purpose of stopping the passage, which may
be seven or eight feet in length. On rising upon
my feet, I foundvself in the midst of a noble
hall, twenty feet ware, hewn out of the rock. It
was already illuminated by the wax candles, which
Ibrahim, who entered before me, had lighted. The
sides of this apartment are smooth and perpendicular, and the angles perfect. The ceiling is in the
form of an irregular arch. This room is only a
second stage in advancing to the tombs-a sort of
central hall in the labyrinth of excavations. It
contains no niches or sarcophagi, and was never
used as a place of sepulture. There are two doors
in its southern side, and one in its western, leading
into as many smaller, square chambers, in the walls
of which are the depositories for the dead."