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Birket Israel (trans. ''Pool of Israel'') also Birket Israil or Birket Isra'in,〔Koenen, Klaus. (2004) (Bethel: Geschichte, Kult and Theologie )〕 abbreviated from Birket Asbât Beni Israìl (trans. ''Pool of the Tribes of the Children of Israel'') was a public cistern located on the north-eastern corner of the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem. The structure is believed to have been built by the Romans for use as a water reservoir and also to protect the northern wall of the Temple Mount. Arab locals have known it by this name since at least 1857.〔Hackett (1857), (p. 186 )〕 By the mid-19th century it had gone out of use as a reservoir; being partly filled with rubbish and reused as a vegetable garden. In 1934 it was filled in and is now known as el-Ghazali Square. It is currently in mixed use for shops, as a car park, and as a transshipment point for refuse. ==Construction== According to Muslim tradition, the reservoir was constructed by Ezekiel or Hezekiah, King of Judah.〔Hanauer (2008), p. 104〕 Some archaeologists have determined that the cistern was possibly built during the Herodian period to improve Jerusalem's water supply.〔(From Pompey to the Destruction of the Second Temple )〕 Others estimate the date of construction later, in around 130 CE. This view is held by Charles Warren who recorded that although some kind of fosse must have existed at the spot at a very early period, since there is no description of the pool in the works of Josephus, "and it is very improbable that he world have omitted to mention so enormous a reservoir had it existed in his time", it was most probably constructed by Roman emperor Hadrian during his restoration of Jerusalem. This is further attested to since the masonry of the birket is inferior in character and resembles the later Roman work in Syria. Additionally, this reservoir appears to be mentioned by the Bordeaux Pilgrim (section 4) as already existing, and "would therefore most naturally be referable to Hadrian."〔Warren, Charles. Conder, Claude Reigner. (The Survey of Western Palestine ), Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund, London, 1884.〕 It was constructed in the bed of the western fork of the Kidron Valley that traverses the north-west quarter of the city.〔Paton () (1977), p. 35〕 It formed Jerusalem's largest reservoir, measuring by with a maximum depth of .〔Finkelstein, Horbury, Davies & Sturdy (1999), p. 10〕 The cistern contained a total capacity of 120,000 cubic meters〔 and for centuries it formed part of Jerusalem's rainwater storage system. The pool also served as a moat, protecting the northern wall of the Temple Mount.〔(Response to Other Theories )〕 The eastern and western ends of the pool were partially rock-cut and partly masonry. The masonry at the eastern end formed a great dam thick, the lower part of which was continuous with an ancient eastern wall of the Temple compound. The sides of the pool were lined entirely with masonry because it was built across the width of a valley. The original bottom of the reservoir was covered with a layer of about 19 inches of very hard Roman concrete and cement. There was a great conduit at the eastern end of the pool built of massive stones, and connected with the pool by a perforated stone with three round holes 5½ inches in diameter. The position of this outlet shows that all water over a depth of must have flowed away.〔(''International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia'' (1913) )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Birket Israel」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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