Fri 3. [3 February 1905] Left by the 8 o'clock train and came down to
Ramleh [Ramla (Ramle)]. There I took a donkey from Reinhardt's
hotel and rode out an hour and a half to Abu Shusheh, which is Gezer,
across a fertile plain, fruit trees in bloom, red anemones, narcissus.
Found Mr Macalister lunching: he make me welcome and showed me
over. Most interesting. The tell was inhabited for 4000 years and has
lain desolate for 2000. The modern village is lower down near the
excellent springs. Troglodyte town with low walls. High Place with
large excavated caves and cups in the rocks for blood. First Semitic
population 2500 BC, 2 great walls, the great outer wall is before
Biblical times, the inner 1200 BC is repaired by Soloman and
Bachides who built towers in it and High Place with 10 upright
monoliths. A small one - which is probably the oldest - is worn smooth
in places with kissing and annointing. The others arranged so as to
form groups of 7 and 3. One of these was probably dragged down
from Jerusalem [(El Quds esh Sherif, Yerushalayim)]. It has the mark
of the rope round it. Below is a cave with a smaller cave near it
connected by a narrow crooked passage, probably used for oracles.
The Troglodytes burnt their dead. He has found the cave they used
as a crematorium with cups in the rock. The Semites used the same
cave to bury their dead in and on top of the cupped rock he found an
upright stone Beit El. The bones lay above the Troglodyte ashes.
Moreover there were little compartments set apart for the swells who
were laid flat - the other bodies thrown in in a crouching position - and
round them vases etc. Only one Assyrian tablet, the answers to the
Tell el Amarna letters not found. There is an idea that the earliest
Semitic people (Canaanites?) came from Crete [Kriti]. They were
using the mainland as a point d'appui for an attack on Egypt, while
they were away their own town Paleocastro was sacked and they
never returned to it. Finally he has found the great palace of Simon
Maccabeaus proved by a denunciatory inscription which prays that
the palace of Simon may be destroyed. Gates, baths, drains etc. He
employs 80 men and women and spends £100 a month. They can
only get concessions for 2 years with a year's extension. No
concessions are granted near the sea lest the explorers should throw
up breastworks and call in their fleet. So back to Ramleh. Read and
wrote and talked to Reinhardt who is a charming man.