Testament Archaeology Book ProjectAfter years of guiding, teaching and collecting material about the New Testament and its archaeology, In 2007 I started creating an illustrative guide book that will provide the main information for every site and find mentioned in the New Testament. Find out more here |
Testimonials Here is a recent testimonial of a guest of Intercure, an Israeli high tech company: I want to thank you for a wonderfully enjoyable and intellectually rich tour through ancient Jerusalem on Saturday. It was truly one of the best tours I've experienced (and I've traveled all over the world). Much more on the testimonials page. |
Travel If you are planning to visit the Holy Land, you are welcome to contact me with a request for a specific itinerary; or allow me to suggest to you a schedule. Click here for some suggested destinations for a single day trip |
Archaeological Newsletters (Australia) Here you can see scans of my reports over the last decade to Diggings, a periodical devoted to Biblical Archaeology, published in Australia. |
My Publications and Experience Being an archaeologist with over 15 years of experience of guiding tours, lecturing, writing, and consulting, I can offer various services in the field: I am the guide of the main public relations office and the Institute of Advanced studies of the Hebrew University; I teach at the national tour guide course; I have a column in Australian periodical Diggings devoted to Biblical Archaeology and more... |
Articles These are links to a set of articles reporting on sites and artifacts related to the New Testament, as much as possible according to a Chronological order. They are all off-prints from DIGGINGS. |
Photo and Video Gallery Visit my photo gallery to see highlights of my tours, as well as videos from around Israel |
Prices and Contact Find out prices for an archaeological tour, a lecture or consultation to production, as well as contact information. |
Archaeological News from Jerusalem
Danny Herman's Newsletter, 2009/5-6
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Who moved thy ladder? The control over the site is divided between several Christian orders, and it is characterized with disputes, which occasionally develop to violent clashes. In 1852 the Ottomans issued a firman that was supposed to establish a status quo of territorial division among the different communities.According to this decree, the primary custodians are the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic churches. The Armenian Apostolic, the Coptic Orthodox, the Ethiopian Orthodox and the Syriac Orthodox, acquire lesser responsibilities. Times and places of worship for each community are also strictly regulated by the 1852 status quo decree. Shortly before the 1852 status quo decree was made, someone placed a wooden ladder on a window ledge above the church's entrance. The decree stated that the window, including the ladder, are "common ground", and so no church can claim it or move anything in the area of the window - including the ladder. The result is that since 1852 the ladder was never moved, and it can be seen in all photos and engravings later then 1852.(see for instance here: Noticing the ladder since the 1990's, I too always saw it in place, against the right window. Shalom
Danny Herman
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A 19th century photo of the front of the Holy sepulchre. Note the wooden ladder leaning against the right window on the second floor.
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A rare photo of the "Holy Sepulchre ladder" leaning against the LEFT window above the entrance. The photo was taken by Zohar Halfan on the 4th of February 2009, at 8:54.
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The ladder back in its original place. Photo taken after 4th of February 2009.
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