Mount of Olives

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A prominent ridge immediately east of Jerusalem's Old City notable for its millennia‑old Jewish cemetery, biblical associations (including scenes in the Gospels), archaeological necropolis on its southern slopes, and long history as a pilgrimage vantage point.

The Haunting

The Mount of Olives is a limestone ridge immediately east of Jerusalem's Old City. Its western slopes facing the city have functioned as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years and contain roughly 150,000 graves; the site continues in use and visitation today. The southern part of the ridge includes the Silwan necropolis, an archaeological area attributed to the elite of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. The mount is repeatedly mentioned in biblical sources and is the setting for New Testament narratives such as the Gospel of Mark's account of Jesus approaching Jerusalem "at the Mount of Olives." Over centuries it has also served as a pilgrimage viewpoint and subject for artists and photographers, and in the nineteenth century received attention from international religious visitors (for example Orson Hyde's 1841 prayer of dedication). Modern media and commentary have discussed episodes of cemetery vandalism, and the ridge today contains inhabited neighbourhoods (including At-Tur) as well as terraced gardens and viewpoints over the Kidron Valley and the Old City.

Community Record

Sources
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    Mount of Olives - Wikipedia. Wikipedia contributors, 'Mount of Olives', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopediawiki
  2. [2]
    Mount of Olives (Wikidata). Wikidata entry Q205976wiki
  3. [3]
    Mark 11:1-11 (Archive recordings / texts). Gospel of Mark 11:1-11 (archival text/audio), situates Jesus 'at the Mount of Olives' in the Triumphal Entry narrativeliterary
  4. [4]
    Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery - Wikipedia. Wikipedia contributors, 'Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia; cites cemetery age, grave count, and messianic traditionwiki
  5. [5]
    Orson Hyde's prayer of dedication on the Mount of Olives (1841). Text of Orson Hyde's 1841 prayer of dedication on the Mount of Olives (demonstrates 19th‑century international religious interest)other
  6. [6]
    Mount of Olives Map - Mapcarta. Mapcarta entry for Mount of Olives; elevation and geographic anchorsother
  7. [7]
    Photo: View of Kidron Valley and Old City from Mount of Olives. Photographic documentation showing terraces and viewpoint over Kidron Valley and Old Cityother
  8. [8]
    Mount of Olives Cemetery Vandalism discussion (CAMERA blog on NPR coverage). Media commentary addressing reports and coverage of vandalism at the Mount of Olives cemeteryother
  9. [9]
    Historical views of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives (collection / prints). Collection of historical views and prints showing long‑standing pilgrimage and artistic interest in Mount of Olives vistasother
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