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CHAP. XX.]
ANCIENT SITE AND NAME.
499
and in 1830 the population scarcely exceeded 15,000 souls, of Population,
whom more than one-third were Muslims; the rest are com
posed of Jews and different sects of Christians, the last being
rather more numerous than the sons of Abraham.
At the south-west corner of the Mesjid-el-Aksa are the
remains of the bridge mentioned by Josephus as crossing the
valley of the Tyropceon; and portions 1 of the former walls Traces of wails,
may likewise be traced at intervals along the eastern and
western sides of the present city. There are some massive
remains near the southern side of Mount Zion, and others
considerably to the northward of the gates of Damascus and
Herod; it is evident, therefore, that the ancient walls must
have enclosed almost double the space occupied by the modern
city; and they probably had a circumference of about 3|
geographical miles. 2
The time of founding the city is supposed to be at least as Earliest site,
remote as that of Melchizedeck, who met Abraham near this
place, then called Salem (Peace), 3 and it appears to have then
occupied two of the hills, Mounts Akra and Zion. About
1879, B.C., the city was taken by the Jebusite branch of the
Canaanites, who built the fortress called Jebus on Mount
Zion; and the compound, Jebus-Salem, is supposed to have
given rise to the present name. 4
The two northern portions of the city were taken by Sanctity of the
Joshua B.C. 1442; 5 but 400 years elapsed before David took 0117 "
the castle on Mount Zion. 6 That the neighbouring hill of
Mount Moriah had previously been sacred, is evident from its
having been chosen as the place for the sacrifice of Isaac, and
from the command given to Dan to rear an altar there.
Herodotus himself gives it the name of Cadytis, 7 or the Holy;
and this epithet it retains to the present time, being called
Kuds-el-Sherif (Sanctuary of the Just), and Bei't-el-Macaddes
1 Jos., De Bello Jud., lib. V., cap. iv., s. 1; and Dr. Robinson's Biblical
Researches, vol. I., p. 425. 2 Ibid., p. 46*7.
3 Gen., chap. XIV., v. 18. 4 Calmet's Dictionary of the Bible.
» Joshua, chap. X., v. 23, &c.; chap. XIII., v; 10.
6 2 Sam., chap. V., v, 6 and 1
7 Herod., lib. II., cap. clix., and lib. II., cap. v.