ANCIENT JUDEA.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1923, Page 3

ANCIENT JUDEA.

JERL’SALEM'S BFRI ED RKCOR DS. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION LONDON, Juno 20. The Palestine Fund, assisted by the “Daily Telegraph,” has arranged with the Palestine Government for the Fund to conduct important excavations :it Ophel Hill. Jerusalem. Doctor R. G. Hogarth, at a meeting of the Fund to-day, said that it was possible that the tombs of the Kings would he found and the treasures of the time of David and Solomon reveille:! in the accumulation of rubbish including an inscribed monument- recording David's victories. Professor R. A. .Stewart Mwa lister, who is in charge of the excavations recalled that the “Daily Telegraph” financed the George Smith’s expedition to Kummjik in 1873, which discovered the Babylonian cuneiform tablets relating to Noah’s flood. The excavations at Jerusalem will begin in September, on the Eastern Mill, south of the city wall which scholars have long rocognb/rd as a Jehusite fir tress afterwards known as the City of David. Professor Mac-ill islet- recalled that Josephus states Simon Abiecabaeus demolished the Akra, which was a sort of citadel overtopping the temple. The wo:k of destruction took the towiistolk of Jerusalem three years to accomplish working day and night, ft might he possible to find the remains of Akra which Simon Maceahaeus toppled into the adjacent valley. There aro also problems to fie solved by the records in the Tell 111 Amaru-.* tiblets. King Abdkhiba, who- was an accomplished intriguer and diplomatist, might have left an archive chamber on the Hill ol David.