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The Dead Sea from theheights of ‘Ayn Gedi,near the Monastery ofSaint Saba, lithographby D. Roberts(© Victoria & AlbertMuseum, London).

ITINERARY IV

A Journey into the WildernessYusuf Natsheh, Mahmoud Hawari

SCENIC OPTIONPanoramic View of the Old City of Jerusalem

IV.1 MOUNT OF OLIVESIV.1.a Zawiya al-As‘adiyyaIV.1.b Mosque of Qubbat al-Su‘ud (Dome of the Ascension)IV.1.c Maqam of Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyya

IV.2 AL-‘AYZARIYYAIV.2.a Mosque of al-‘Uzayr

IV.3 MAQAM OF NABI MUSA

IV.4 JERICHOIV.4.a Qasr Khirbat al-Mafjar (Hisham’s Palace) (Option)

Mawsim of Nabi MusaDesert Monasticism

Jericho. Then the scenery changes, forwhile covered in green and colourfulflowers that are numerous during thespring, the mountains and valleys lookbarren thoughout the summer. Bedouinencampments scatter the area that hasattracted early Christian monks since theByzantine period (5th and 6th centuries).Some of the monasteries associated withthese monks still survive today, includingSt George’s Monastery (Deir al-Qilt),which lies in the Wadi Qilt north of theJerusalem–Jericho road.Eighteen kilometres from Jerusalem, thevisitor should turn off the main road andcontinue southwards for about half a kilo-metre until reaching a huge architecturalcomplex covered by white domes. This isthe Maqam of Nabi Musa (the Shrine ofthe Prophet Moses), which was built inthe Mamluk period and is considered tobe one of the most important commem-orative shrines in the Jerusalem area.Some additions were made to it in theOttoman period.Having visited the maqam, the visitorshould return to the Jerusalem–Jerichoroad and continue east until s/he reachesthe Jordan Valley. This valley is consideredpart of the Syrian-African rift that stretch-es from the north of Syria to East Africa.The road continues east towards the DeadSea and the River Jordan, which flows intoit. The Dead Sea is a unique phenomenon;the Romans called it the Asphalt Sea,while Arab historians called it the Sea ofLut or the Sea of Sodomy (after the storiesin the Old Testament) and the StinkingLake, because of the smell of sulphur. Itwas the Crusaders who named it the DeadSea because it lacks any signs of life.

The journey from Jerusalem to Jericho isspecial from both a geographical and his-torical perspective. Captivating views ofmountains and valleys, semi-desertscenery, historic sites, Islamic sanctuariesand Christian monasteries lie along theroute. The winding road from the top ofJerusalem’s Mountains (800 m. above sealevel) descends towards the Jordan Valleyand the Dead Sea (the lowest point onearth at 400 m. below sea level) and final-ly reaches Jericho (the lowest city onearth at 250 m. below sea level).The visitor will start the journey from theobservatory of the Mount of Olives at al-Tur Village. To the west, north and souththere unfolds a panoramic view of theOld City of Jerusalem, its surroundingmountains and valleys, and the westernslopes of the Mount of Olives that arerich in archaeological sites and historicmonuments. To the east is the bewitchingsight of vast desert, the Dead Sea and theJordan Valley; on a clear day, one can seeas far as the mountains of Jordan. Head-ing north for about half a kilometre, onewill arrive at a crossroads where the visi-tor can stop to see the first of three sitesin this itinerary: the Zawiya al-As‘adiyya,the Mosque of the Dome of Ascensionand the Maqam of Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyya.Heading towards the south-eastern slopesof the Mount of Olives, one will arrive atthe village of al-‘Ayzariyya and visit theMosque of al-‘Uzayr that lies to the eastof the Franciscan Church of Saint Lazarus(whom Christ raised form the dead).From here the visitor continues easttowards the Jordan Valley on a new tar-mac road that has replaced the narrowand winding path between Jerusalem and

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ITINERARY IV A Journey into the Wilderness

Another road turns north towards Jeri-cho. This city lies in the middle of an oasisthat is rich in water springs, palm andfruit trees, and contains various historicsites that date back to different periods.Among them is the Qasr Khirbat al-Mafjar (Hisham’s Palace) that dates backto the Umayyad period.

M.H.

SCENIC OPTION

Panoramic View of the Old City ofJerusalem

Located on the south-west side of the Mount ofOlives, in front of the al-Aqwas al-Sab‘a

(Seven Arches Hotel), where a mirador is foundthat offers magnificent panoramic views of theOld Town of Jerusalem.

From this point, the visitor can enjoybreathtaking panoramic views of theOld City of Jerusalem. The beauty of itslayout and architecture and the solidityof its walls become clearer from thisvantage point. The boundaries of theHaram al-Sharif – which were designedby the Umayyad Caliph ‘Abd al-MalikIbn Marwan at the end of the 1st/7th

century – with its various edifices,domes and magnificent minarets can beseen clearly. In the centre lies the Domeof the Rock with its golden dome, whileto the south is the Aqsa Mosque coveredby its grey, lead dome. The historic

Jerusalem, panoramicview from the Mountof Olives.

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Scenic Option

It is no wonder this view bewitched Mujiral-Din al-Hanbali (c.901/1496), thefamous historian of Mamluk Jerusalem,who wrote: “Seeing Jerusalem from afar is awonder in its luminosity and beauty especial-ly when seen from the east, from the Mount ofOlives or from the direction of the qibla”.

M.H.

IV.1 MOUNT OF OLIVES

IV.1.a Zawiya al-As‘adiyya

Lies on the eastern part of the Mount ofOlives adjacent to the Mosque of Qubbat al-Su‘ud and many important churches con-nected with Jesus Christ. The courtyard isopen during the day except during prayertimes. Permission to visit the site is requiredfrom the supervisor.

This zawiya, sometimes called khanqa, isnamed after its founder Shaykh Abu Sa‘idAs‘ad Efendi, the Supreme Mufti in Con-stantinople (Istanbul), who also conferreda waqf upon it. Parts of the zawiya, themosque in particular, were built in1023/1614-1615 as the inscriptionplaque above the entrance certifies. In1033/1623, As‘ad Efendi bestowed agenerous waqf on it through his legaldeputy Muhammad Pasha, the Governorof Jerusalem at the time. He stipulatedthat the annual revenue of the waqf– which included many buildings, someland and a bakery in the village of al-Tur– should be spent on maintaining thezawiya and covering its expenses, includ-

buildings are concentrated in the northand west borders of the Haram. Theeastern and western walls of the OldCity and their gates can also be identi-fied, most notably the double GoldenGate (Bab al-Rahma and Bab al-Tawba),and Bab al-Asbat (Gate of the Lions).The Citadel and its lofty, impenetrabletowers can be seen to the west, whilethe towers and domes of the churchesbestow unrivalled glamour and beautyupon the city.

The Dome of the Rock,panoramic view fromthe Mount of Olives.

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Mount of Olives

ing those of its followers, visitors andemployees (inspector, imam, muezzin,porter, servant and money collector).Shaykh Shams al-Din Muhammad al-‘Alami, one of Jerusalem’s sufi leaders inthe first half of 10th/16th century, wasappointed as the inspector of the waqf andthe shaykh of the zawiya.The inscriptions on the walls of the cen-tral courtyard, together with the archi-tectural features of the building, indicatethat it was built over several periods. Twoinscription plaques are found in additionto the one mentioned earlier. One is dated1143/1730–1731 and refers to the cryptleading to the Shaykh al-‘Alami’s tomb,while the second (1323/1905–1906) indi-cates the date when the vestibule wasbuilt.The building consists of many units thatcan be accessed via a staircase that startsat street level at the end of which twoentrance portals are found. The easternportal leads to the Mosque Qubbat al-Su‘ud (Dome of the Ascension), whilethe southern portal leads to the court-yard of the zawiya. The courtyard is rec-tangular with a modern stone-tiled floor.To the west of the entrance is a door onthe northern wall that leads to stairsdown to the crypt where Shaykh ‘Alamiand some members of his family areburied. Facing the north door, anotherdoor in the centre of the courtyard’ssouthern wall, leads into the mosque ofthe zawiya.The mosque is rectangular (10 × 6.5 m.)and has several windows on its west wallthat allow in plenty of light. A concavemihrab lies in its southern wall. A point-ed arch divides the ceiling into two sec-

tions: the southern part is square andcovered by a shallow dome, while thenorthern one is covered by a crossvault. A third door on the west wall ofthe courtyard leads to another opencourtyard, which is irregular in shape

Zawiya al-As‘adiyya,entrance, Mount ofOlives, Jerusalem.

Zawiya al-As‘adiyya,general view, Mount ofOlives, Jerusalem.

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Mount of Olives

dition. It is mentioned in the Book ofLuke, and although no precise location ismentioned, it is widely believed that thisplace is the site of the Ascension.Before the spread of Christianity,Christians used to celebrate the Ascen-sion secretly inside a cave in the Mountof Olives. The first church to com-memorate the Ascension was built dur-ing the Byzantine period, before 392,although it has not survived. Manyattempts have been made to reconstructit, relying on descriptions by Byzantinetravellers and archaeological research.The earlier circular plan was replacedin the Crusader period by an octagonalstructure and was encircled by a forti-fied monastery. During this period thevalidity of the Ascension was firmlyestablished.After Saladin’s conquest of Jerusalem thesite was converted into a mosque. Sincethen it has become an Islamic waqf. Nowthe Administration of Waqfs and IslamicAffairs manages it as any other holy place,and access is guaranteed to all Christiancommunities. Both the mosque andcourtyard around it have been recentlyrenovated.During the renovations carried out at thetime of Saladin and his successors, manyelements of the Crusader architecturesurvived, in particular the marblecolumns and their capitals. A mihrab wasadded to the southern part of the octa-gon, the spaces between the columnswere blocked, and the floor tiles wererestored.The current mosque is octagonal in plan.Marble columns are seen on the cornersof the octagon and their capitals are dec-

and on a lower level than the indoorcourtyard. Toilet facilities have beenbuilt in the northern area, while thesouthern part has many tombs. Theeastern area of the zawiya is a residentialarea where ‘Alami’s descendants live;this can be reached through a fourthdoor on the south-eastern border of thecourtyard.

Y.N.

IV.1.b Mosque of Qubbat al-Su‘ud(Dome of Ascension)

Open daily 08.00–16.00. The admission feeis nominal.

This site is one of the most distinguishedin Jerusalem. It commemorates theAscension of Jesus to heaven after his Res-urrection according to the Christian tra-

Zawiya al-As‘adiyya,foundation inscriptions,Mount of Olives,Jerusalem.

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Mount of Olives

orated with animal and vegetal orna-ments.The visitor can enter the site from a dooron the western side. The floor is coveredin small stone tiles. A rectangular stoneframe encircles the area where supposed-ly the footprints of Christ lie. In the cir-cular external courtyard, many altars arefound that belong to different sects. Onthe walls are a number of iron rings,which were used to tie tents or parasolsduring the annual celebration commem-orating the Ascension.

Y.N.

IV.1.c Maqam of Rabi‘aal-‘Adawiyya

The maqam lies on the Mount of Olives nextto the Zawiya al-As‘adiyya. Visitors shouldmake contact with the attendant prior to theirvisit.

Architectural examinations and excava-tions carried out in 1995 reveal that themaqam is a composite of different peri-ods. The earliest finds date back to theByzantine period, as the disovery ofsome ceramic fragments testify. On thewest wall, there is a Greek inscription.It reads: “Courage Dometilla. None isimmortal”. Even though some believe thesite was built to honour Saint Pilagia, itwas probably used as a burial place. Akufic inscription has also been found dat-ing to the early Islamic period; althoughit has never been deciphered it may havereligious significance since many storieshave circulated since the 6th/12th cent-ury that refer to Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyya’s

Qubbat al-Su‘udMosque, general view,Mount of Olives,Jerusalem.

Maqam Rabi‘aal-‘Adawiyya,staircase, Mount ofOlives, Jerusalem.

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Mount of Olives

Ibn Abu al-Hawari’s wife but another Rabi‘awhose history time has erased but whose nameit has kept”.The Shrine has a simple rectangularentrance. On top of it is a stone lintel,and above it a window. The entrance wasoriginally an arch that was blocked up ata later stage. Its interior consists of twoparts one of which, to the west, is asquare room covered by a barrel vault.On its southern wall is a mihrab, whichindicates that the area was used for prayer.Stairs, approximately 5 m. in length, sep-arate the western from the eastern part.The floor of the eastern section dropsbelow the level of the western part,which has a cement floor, an indicationthat it was built in modern times. Thisroom is rectangular (5.6 × 3.4 m.) and isalso covered by a barrel-vault. A cenotaphlies in the centre of the room.

Y.N.

IV.2 AL-‘AYZARIYYA

IV.2.a Mosque of al-‘Uzayr

The Mosque is located in the town of al-‘Ayzariyya, which lies on the eastern slopes ofthe Mount of Olives on the road that linksJerusalem with Jericho. Visiting the exteriorcourtyard is allowed but only outside prayertimes and with the imam’s permission.The mosque can be reached from the mainJerusalem–Jericho road by turning left onto atarmac side-road, which lies a few meters to thenorth-east of the front square of the Church ofSt Lazarus.

place of burial. Furthermore, theceramic material that has been uncov-ered here dates to both the Ayyubid andMamluk periods, not to mention a wallthat dates back to the 7th/13th – 8th/14th

centuries.The site is named today after Rabi‘aal-‘Adawiyya. The Islamic historicalsources refer to more than one personwith the same name. The most famouswas Um al-Khayr Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyyaal-Basriyya, the famous sufi, who died in185/801 in Basra, Iraq. Another is thewife of Rabi‘a, Ahmad Ibn Abu al-Hawari, who is probably buried at thissite. ‘Abd Allah al-Mukhlis commentedon this in the 1930s, saying: “It mightwell be that the Rabi‘a buried here on theMount of Olives and below the Zawiya al-As‘adiyya is neither al-‘Adawiyya nor Ahmad

Maqam Rabi‘aal-‘Adawiyya, interiorof the funeral chamber,Mount of Olives,Jerusalem.

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Al-‘Ayzariyya

In Roman and Medieval times, as well asin recent times, al-‘Ayzariyya was thefinal station before entering Jerusalemfrom the east, as it was for Christ whenhe came to Jerusalem from Galilee andwas welcomed into the house of Mary,Martha and Lazarus in al-‘Ayzariyya.According to the New Testament, it is theplace where Christ performed the mira-cle of raising Lazarus from the dead. It isthanks to this event, along with the loca-tion of the tomb of Lazarus that a townfirst began to grow, it was further devel-oped during the Byzantine period, andthen continued to flourish in medievaltimes. Its Arabic name was derived fromGreek (Lazarion) meaning the place of theLazarus.Architectural evidence and a number ofhistorical references indicate that in theByzantine period two churches and amonastery were built on this site (onechurch was ruined by an earthquake in390 and a second was built in the 6th

century). Parts of these edifices wereprobably reused and renovated duringthe Crusader period. However, whenSaladin conquered Jerusalem in 583/1187,the buildings were in a dilapidated con-dition. Believing that Christ is a mes-senger from God, and also in his miracleof raising Lazarus from the dead, theMuslims built a mosque on top of theearlier remains and called it the Mosqueof al-‘Uzayr.There is no exact date given for when themosque was built. Its architectural fabric,however, shows that it is a composite ofmany styles that developed in differentperiods, the last of which was theOttoman period. The records of the Tri-

bunal Court of Jerusalem show themosque was renovated in the 10th/16th

century, and then again in the followingcenturies, the last of which has been doc-umented by a commemorative inscriptionfound above the entrance. The inscriptionis written in three lines of Ottoman scriptand is set within an ornamental frame. Itstates that the mosque was renovated dur-ing the reign of Sultan ‘Abd al Hamid II(1293/1876–1327/1909).The simple door of the mosque leads toa stairway that descends into an opencourtyard below street level. The court-yard is rectangular and surrounded by

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Al-‘Ayzariyya

Al-‘Uzayr Mosque,entrance withcommemorativeinscription,al-‘Ayzariyya.

from an entrance to the west of themosque’s entrance.

Y.N.

IV.3 MAQAM OF NABI MUSA

Lies 28 km. east of Jerusalem. Look out for thesignpost on the main Jerusalem–Jericho road.It is open all day, but visitors to the interior areallowed in only outside prayer times.

The Maqam of Nabi Musa lies in a remotedesert area amidst sand dunes, and over-looks the Dead Sea area. Its serene andquiet surroundings encourage meditationand contemplation, and provide a similarenvironment to that in which the threemonotheist religions (Judaism, Chris-tianity and Islam) developed.The maqam was built for many reasons.Firstly, Islam and the Qur’an bothacknowledge Moses as one of theprophets of God. Secondly, Muslims con-sider their creed as an amendment and aconclusion to the other two precedingreligions (Judaism and Christianity). TheQur’an says: “The prophet believes in all thatGod has asked him to do. The believers are allthose who believe in God, His angels, books andprophets without exception. For all have fol-lowed God’s way.” Thirdly, constructing avast maqam in this area could be seen asstemming from a desire to strike a bal-ance with other monasteries that hadbeen built there since the Byzantine peri-od. Encouraging a large crowd to assem-ble on specific occasions served manypurposes: it diverted the public’s atten-tion away from their daily worries, it

walls, the stones of which date to differ-ent periods as indicated by their sizes,shapes and styles. A modern, simple andconcave stone mihrab has been built intothe southern wall, and a rectangular doorleads into the prayer hall of the Mosque,on top of which lies the Ottomaninscription mentioned previously. Theprayer hall is rectangular in shape and thefloor is covered in carpets. A huge pillarstanding inside the entrance supports thebarrel-vault ceiling. To the east, is anOttoman-like rectangular cenotaph,which is attributed to the Prophet al-‘Uzayr (St Lazarus). On the southernwall is a mihrab covered in typicalOttoman-style ceramic tiles, while at thefar end is a rectangular opening that iscurrently blocked off, but which previ-ously would have led to the tomb ofLazarus. Today, the tomb can be reached

Al-‘Uzayr Mosque,tomb of the prophetal-‘Uzayr,al-‘Ayzariyya.

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Maqam of Nabi Musa

served as a social occasion where eco-nomic transactions were made, and it alsosent a message of solidarity to their ene-mies.Various historical references mention thatthe Festival (Mawsim) of the Nabi Musastarted in the Ayyubid period, but noarchitectural remains from this periodsurvive. The earliest remains date back tothe time of the Mamluk Sultan Baybars,who ordered the building of the maqam in668/1269-1270. Baybars was one of thefounders of the Mamluk Dynasty, a firmwarrior administrator, who was renownedfor his patronage of architectural activitiesin various parts of the Mamluk Empire;Jerusalem, Palestine, and especially inCairo. From Baybars’ time until theBritish Mandate (1917-1948), many ren-

Maqam Nabi Musa,general view.

Maqam Nabi Musa,minaret of the mosque.

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Maqam of Nabi Musa

storeys; on the western façade is a portalthat leads into an open, central courtyardvia a corridor where there is a mosque offive aisles, a maqam, and, at the centre,several water cisterns. More than 100rooms and halls of different sizes surroundthe courtyard. The complex has an under-ground stable, porticoes, and stores, twobakeries and two kitchens on the groundfloor. It also has a minaret of mediumheight and from the muezzin’s gallery onehas a fantastic view over the mountainrange of Jordan. From the west, the com-plex is preceded by a large square wherevarious shows and activities take placeduring the festival high season, but whichis used as a car park ordinarily. A largecemetery that is still used to bury thosewho wish to be blessed by the maqam liesto the east and the north of the complex.In addition to the festival season thatdraws huge crowds, the complex attractsmany local visitors, but also large groupsof Moslems and non-Moslems from India,South-East Asia and Europe throughoutthe year.

Y.N.

IV.4 JERICHO

IV.4.a Qasr Khirbat al-Mafjar(Hisham’s Palace) (option)

Situated 2 km. nor th of Jer icho. Open:08.00–17.00. There is an admission fee.

Excavations carried out in the 1930s and1940s by Richard Hamilton and DemetrisBaramki uncovered a large palace that

ovations and extensions took place on thesite, particularly during the Ottomanperiod; often undertaken by people whowanted to remain anonymous. Amongthose who took care of the maqam in theOttoman period was Efendi Husam al-Din (1013/1604–1605), Shaykh Muham-mad al-Khalili (1139/1726–1727) andMuhammad Tahir al-Hussayni, the Muftiof Jerusalem (1303/1885–1886).Architecturally, the Maqam of Nabi Musais the second largest religious site in Pales-tine after the Haram al-Sharif. It covers anarea of approximately five hectares and issurrounded by walls. It consists of three

Maqam Nabi Musa,interior view with theminaret of the mosque.

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Jericho

dates back to the Umayyad period. It hasbeen attributed to the Umayyad CaliphHisham Ibn ‘Abd al-Malik, but now it isthought more likely that his successor, al-Walid Ibn Yazid, built the Palace becauseof its lavish appearance and splendour,which accords more with the latter’sdecadent lifestyle. Although it took 20years to build, it did not survive for long,as an earthquake struck it only four yearsafter it was completed in 129/747.Hisham’s Palace in Jericho is the greatestand most beautiful of the many palacesand settlements built in the southern areaof the Syrian Desert, namely the Jordan-ian Desert, revealed in the stucco walldecorations, some of which are exhibitedin the Palestine (Rockefeller) Archaeo-

logical Museum in Jerusalem, and most-ly by way of the stunning and perfectmosaic floor, which nothing rivals inbeauty except for the Dome of the Rock.The area was a favourite winter residencefor the Caliph, due probably to the deserttopography of Jericho and its climate, butalso to the proximity of an abundantwater supply from the springs of ‘Ayn al-Dyouk, which permitted the constructionof an 8 km.-long aqueduct to transportwater to the palace, and which trans-formed the region into a green oasis.Due to the significance of Hisham’s Palacein the history of Islamic art and architec-ture, and its vitality and importance inattracting tourism to the Jericho area, thepalace underwent many renovations. The

Encampment nearJericho, general view,lithograph by D.Roberts (© Victoria &Albert Museum,London).

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Jericho

Rooms and halls on two levels surround itfrom the south and west. In the centre ofthe southern corridor is a small mosque.The base of the minaret is next to it. Thiswas the Caliph’s private mosque. The pub-lic mosque lies to the north of the easternportico. The niche of the mihrab, whichpoints towards Mecca, is seen on thesouthern wall. A corridor leads to thesplendid palace hammam. A pool lies infront of it, and many rooms lie to thenorth of it. One room may have been usedas a reception hall; covered as it is by aremarkable mosaic floor considered to bethe most beautiful in the country. A hot-room and toilets were also found.

Y.N.

latest was carried out in 1994 as a resultof a grant from the Italian Government tothe Palestinian Department of Antiqui-ties. It was carried out by a joint Pales-tinian-Italian team and under the super-vision of UNESCO.The archaeological excavation and reno-vation projects revealed the followingparts of the palace: the external entrance,where the ticket office is located, leadsinto an open courtyard where some sur-viving architectural remains of the earth-quake are exhibited. North of this court-yard is a pool that has a mosaic floor, andto the west lies the entrance to the palace.This leads to a vast courtyard in the cen-tre of which is a decorated window.

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Jericho

There was rigorous religious, social andeconomic activity in Palestine partic-ularly during the Ayyubid period whenthe whole population, including the gov-ernors, began to visit different Palestinianreligious shrines. This phenomenon,known as mawasim (plural of mawsim) orfestivals, which was firmly established inthe Mamluk period, continued through-out the Ottoman period, and still contin-ues today; it was only suspended duringtimes of political unrest. Among themaqams that have been associated withannual religious festivals are: the Maqamof ‘Ali Ibn ‘Alim Ibn in Arsuf; the Maqamof Nabi Rubin, South of Jaffa; the Maqamof Nabi Salih in Ramla; the Maqam of al-Hussayn in Asqalon; the Maqam of al-Darum near Gaza and the Maqam of NabiMusa.The greatest and most famous of thesefestivals is that of Nabi Musa (the ProphetMoses) which starts on the Friday pre-ceding the Greek Orthodox Good Friday,between 22 March and 25 April. It lastsfor one week.Its procession was documented at the endof the 19th-early 20th century, as follows:“The inhabitants of Jerusalem and the inspec-tors of the maqam’s waqf gather in the court-yard of the Aqsa Mosque. The procession willhead towards Jericho via Tariq al-Mujahidin,Bab al-Asbat and then to Ra’s al-‘Amud. Theinhabitants of Nablus, Hebron and other citiesfollow them in a procession carrying flags andbanners decorated by Qur’anic verses and cal-

ligraphy, which refer to the Orthodox Caliphsand the leaders of Sufism. Folk dancing andmusic accompanies the procession. Some peo-ple rode on horses to the site. When the crowdsarrive at the site, especially different SufiOrders their zeal is reflected in the fast rhythmof their drums and the beating of their tam-bourines. Their spectacular dancing, swingingwith a stick and their skilful fencing mix withwomen’s joyful shrills and the cheers of thecrowds.”Prayers took place in the maqam, wherethe Qur’an was also read. The crowdsamounted to thousands, so tents wereerected around the shrine to accommo-date them. The newcomers took theplace of those leaving. This festival, likeothers, was an opportunity for many tohonour their vows, to circumcise theirboys and have their hair cut for the firsttime. Free food was offered to a largenumber of people in the crowds, spon-sored by a generous waqf allocated for vis-itors to the site. Many goods were avail-able to satisfy the different needs ofvisitors. A special kind of sweet was madespecifically for the occasion, called theSweet of Nabi Musa. The celebration last-ed for a week, the crowds returning on aThursday in procession to the AqsaMosque. Three flags were carried in theprocession, that of the Nabi Musa, theNabi Dawud (the Prophet David) and theAqsa Mosque. On arrival, the flags wereput in store at the mosque until the fol-lowing year.

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MAWSIM OF NABI MUSA

Yusuf Natsheh

Order required a complex surroundedby walls and different utilities such as achurch, an assembly hall, a dining hall,a close-by water supply, a garden forplanting and some retreats. The lauraway of life, on the other hand, was char-acterised by the solitary living of agroup of monks in a specific environ-ment. Each would live in a cave or aretreat, eat alone and worship Godalone for five days a week, then meet upon a Saturday and Sunday with his col-leagues in the public prayer area, takesome food and return to his retreat.Whatever way of life was chosen, sharedor solitary, it was characterised by sim-plicity and abstinence. The monks basi-cally ate bread, and the vegetables andfruits that the harsh surrounding envi-ronment provided. Occasionally theywould carry out some simple activitysuch as reclaiming land for agriculture,or weaving baskets and ropes toexchange for other products from theneighbouring villages. Large monaster-ies usually imported wheat from Jordan.Their seclusion and retreat from thetumults of city life gave many monks theopportunity to polish their poetic, lit-erary and theological talents – hence thecultural life of Christianity was greatlyenriched.The Monastery of St George of Kozibain Wadi al-Qilt provides a good exam-ple of this phenomenon. It can bereached either from Jerusalem by turn-ing north at the entrance to JerichoObservatory, or from Jericho by takingthe first right after leaving the city. Thevisitor will enjoy a wonderful view of

During the Byzantine period, a newphenomenon began in Palestine where-by urban monks would retire to theJerusalem Desert. The phenomenonoriginated in southern Egypt and thenspread to Palestine. An archaeologicalsurvey has uncovered more than 80such monastic sites in the JerusalemDesert, in an area that stretches80 km. × 20 km. Among these sitesare the Monastery of Mar Saba near thevillage of al-‘Ubaydiyya in the Bethle-hem area; the Monastery of St Geor-ge of Koziba in Wadi al-Qilt onthe Jerusalem-Jericho road; the Mo-nastery of Hajla close to the River Jor-dan and Monastery of the Temptation(Qarantal) in Jericho.The monastic phenomenon has been asso-ciated with three figures, each influenc-ing his successor. The first was the monkChariton, who established the firstmonastic community (laura) in 330, thenEuthymius (376–473) who attractedthousands of followers, and finally Sabas(439–532); the greatest organiser of thismovement.This Mononastic order had two ways oflife: the first was called coenobium whilethe second was known as laura. Accord-ing to the coenobium way of life, a groupof hermits would live together in amonastery and co-operate with eachother. Each member would carry out acertain task in addition to worship,meditation, prayer and reading. Theywould usually have one group prayerand one individual prayer each day.However, they ate together and sharedtheir daily social activities. This kind of

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DESERT MONASTICISM

Yusuf Natsheh

the desert just before reaching the site.The monastery can be visited between09.00 and 15.00, but is closed at noonfor one hour. Coffee and cold waterawaits the visitor following the hardship

of descending the valley, and thenclimbing up to the monastery, by fol-lowing the course of the Roman aque-duct that, incidentally, has been repeat-edly renovated.

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3420 06 palestina rec04 (ing) - museum with no frontiers at 400 m. below sea level) and final-ly...

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