Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., November 15, 2008 Cheshvan 17, 5769 | | Israel Time: 16:35 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate U.S. election Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 03:38 01/06/2008 Islamic-era skeletons 'disappeared' from Elad-sponsored dig By Meron Rapoport Tags: archeology, Israel, Elad  Dozens of skeletons from the early Islamic period were discovered during excavations near the Temple Mount, on a site slated for construction by a right-wing Jewish organization. Contrary to regulations, the skeletons were removed, and were not reported to the Ministry of Religious Services. The Israel Antiquities Authority termed the incident "a serious mishap." The IAA's Dr. Doron Ben Ami is directing the excavations at the Givati Parking Lot in Jerusalem's Silwan neighborhood, across from the entrance to the Dung Gate. Elad, an association devoted to Judaizing East Jerusalem, is funding the dig at the site, where it plans to build an events hall with underground parking. The IAA is excavating there even though Elad never filed building plans with the planning authorities. In recent weeks, workers excavating at a depth of two to three meters reached a layer from the 8th or 9th century C.E., some 200 years after the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem. They discovered several dozen skeletons, skulls and bone fragments, thought to date from the early Islamic period. An IAA source said "dozens of crates" containing bone fragments were removed, which suggests at least 100 skeletons were found. Advertisement IAA regulations require that any graves discovered be reported immediately to the Religious Services Ministry and to Atra Kadisha, an ultra-Orthodox organization dedicated to preserving ancient Jewish grave sites. For some reason this discovery was not reported, and the skeletal remains were carted away before ministry officials arrived to inspect the site. The ministry learned of the discovery only two weeks later, following inquiries by Haaretz. Nor have the Muslim religious authorities been notified, even though the skeletons are thought to be Muslim. An archaeologist who worked at the IAA expressed surprise at the manhandling of skeletons discovered less than a hundred meters from Al Aqsa mosque. "The moment a digger comes across bones, he must stop immediately and inform his supervisors," he said, adding that IAA director Shuka Dorfman has threatened to fire anyone who fails to report the discovery of bones. The IAA refused to explain the "serious mishap," but said Dorfman "accepts responsibility" for it. Another archaeologist familiar with excavations in Jerusalem lamented the lost opportunity to learn more about the city's past: "This was not a regular cemetery, since then they would also have found many tombstones. It may have been a private burial site, perhaps a mass grave following an epidemic or war, but in any case it is a very important discovery that could shed light on life in Jerusalem in that period. It's a scandal they destroyed it." Bookmark to del.icio.us   A ringing endorsement Jimmy Carter says Obama will waste no time in pursuing Middle East peace. Peres' olive branch Israel's president says the Arab peace plan is an opening for progress.   1.   logical progression 03:57  |  potobac 01/06/08   2.   Imagine the outcry in Israel & US if it was a Jewish cemetary 06:01  |  anti-racist 01/06/08   3.   now don`t you just wonder? 09:10  |  eric 01/06/08   4.   "Carted away" 09:37  |  Palestinian Brit 01/06/08   5.   It must be a joke to be an Israeli archaeologist 10:40  |  Dan 01/06/08   6.   bias archaeologist 11:49  |  mike honcho 01/06/08   7.   Vandalism, not archeology, and slipping in more settlers 16:42  |  John 01/06/08   8.   http://www.alt-arch.org 23:17  |  More about Elad 01/06/08   9.   still no evidence of jews 04:24  |  sam i am 02/06/08   10.   Will planting evidence be next? 07:46  |  hala 03/06/08   11.   IAA`s behaviour covering up vandalism of the first order 16:29  |  Ben Alofs 03/06/08   12.   In in reverse, what would be the view? 15:40  |  Andrew 15/11/08

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