Saturday, December 7, 2013

Dung Gate

Dung Gate (Garbage Gate) is probably the least impressive of all the gates. Compare the name with such magnificent images of Zion Gate, or Golden Gate.
Well, Dung Gate was near the temple compound and was originally used to carry animal refuse from sacrifices to be burned outside the city gate.


From what I understand the name implies that it was literally the gate that was used to carry garbage out from the city. It is located on the South east side of the temple compound area.

The current gate is pretty modern, and most of the traffic to the Jewish Quarter and Western Wall comes in through it. So now it is actually pretty clean, and wide enough for cars to pass through if needed, but usually is just used for pedestrian traffic. Only one other gate, Jaffa Gate on the west, can accommodate cars at all. The current gate we see was built during our lifetime, after the 1967 Jewish takeover of the old city. Look how small the previous entrance was.




The Dung Gate is mentioned in the third chapter of the Book of Nehemiah where the names and order of those who help to build the walls and gates of Jerusalem are listed. The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate. But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Beth-haccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.



What is sad to me, is that because of the garbage dump create outside of dung gate, the older City of David was literally covered in garbage for centuries!

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