A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

New Work on the Haram/Temple Mount

In Ha'aretz from a couple of days ago, a review of a new work edited by Oleg Grabar and Benjamin Z. Kedar, Where Heaven and Earth Meet: Jerusalem's Sacred Esplanade. Grabar is one of the senior living figures in Islamic art history, now at the Institute for Advanced Study and emeritus, whle Kedar is an Israeli historian. But their edited work includes contributions by Muslims, Christians, and Jews, Israelis, Palestinians, and others, on the great platform in Jerusalem Muslims call the Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and Jews call Har ha-Bayit (the Temple Mount). Probably the most disputed, and arguably the most historic, plot of land on earth.

The review is lengthy and worth reading, though the $75 price is a bit rich for my blood, and nobody will ever ask me to review a book on art history, since it's not my field. Thought I'd mention the review and the book, though.

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