Solomons Temple

The only up-to-date illustrated account of one of the most intriguing and influential buildings in history. The Temple of Solomon has been the focus of profound spiritual reverence for over three thousand years. From its Bronze Age antecedents in the portable shrines of nomadic tribes, through countless permutations in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the idea of the Temple of Solomon—a place of communion between God and man—has proven endlessly alluring. The sacred building itself was destroyed more than once, on the last occasion by the Romans in AD 70, yet the great church of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, the headquarters of the Templars, and numerous medieval cathedrals were all conceived as symbolic re-creations of Solomon's original. Medieval magicians practiced magic to harness the demons who were believed to have constructed the Temple, and mystics of all faiths had visions of a celestial Temple, mirroring that on earth, where divine secrets would be revealed. Solomon's Temple draws on holy texts and mystic writings, works of art and architecture, modern reconstructions, and photographs to reveal the myriad ways in which the Temple and the sacred ground on which it stood have inspired mankind through the ages. 200 illustrations, 130 in color.

A fully illustrated history of the Temple of Solomon • Examines the Temple of Solomon in the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament, and Apocryphal writings • Explores its role in the founding of Freemasonry, the legends of the Knights Templar, the doctrines of the Kabbalah, and the teachings of Islam • Explains the sacred nature of the Temple Mount--the site of the Temple of Solomon--and the secrets that may still be hidden there • Richly illustrated, including many photos and images from rare archives The spiritual heart of many esoteric societies, the Temple of Solomon was located atop the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a site venerated by the three great monotheistic religions as the intersection of Divine and human. Built by King Solomon at the peak of ancient Israel’s power, the Temple of Solomon housed the golden Ark of the Covenant in its Holy of Holies, a sacred chamber where one could communicate directly with God. Centuries after the temple’s destruction, the Temple Mount was used as the headquarters for the Knights Templar during the Crusades, and countless legends have come down through the centuries about the secrets they may have uncovered there, including discovery of the Holy Grail or the Ark of the Covenant. Richly illustrated with biblical and Masonic illustrations, photographs, and ancient and modern paintings--many from rare archives--this book explores the Temple of Solomon in the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament, and Apocryphal writings as well as its role in the founding of Freemasonry, the legends of the Knights Templar, the doctrines of the Kabbalah, and Muhammad’s visionary journey from the Temple Mount through the heavens. Seeking to understand the powerful desire of many religions and secret societies to re-create the temple through ritual and prayer, James Wasserman explains why it was built, the magical forces King Solomon may have used in its creation, what its destruction meant for Jews and Christians alike, and why the Knights Templar as well as several modern secret societies named their orders after it. Detailing the sacred architecture of this perfectly proportioned mystical edifice through words and art, the author reveals the Temple of Solomon as the affirmation of God’s presence in human affairs, the spiritual root of Western culture, and an important monument to the Divine nearly forgotten in today’s secular times but sorely needed to bridge the divide between our ancient past and our spiritual future.

According to the Hebrew Bible, King Solomon built a Temple to the Lord in Jerusalem on a threshing floor that his father, King David, purchased from Araunah the Jebusite for 50 shekels of silver. "No other building of the ancient world," claims the Anchor Bible Dictionary, "either while it stood in Jerusalem or in the millennia since its final destruction has been the focus of so much attention throughout the ages." This stunning book, with its 160 illustrations, is a history of the Temple or Temples in Jerusalem from Solomon's time to the present. The book reads like an archaeological excavation, digging deeper and deeper at one site. Starting with a discussion of the Palestinian denial of a Jewish Temple, the book proceeds to explore the Islamic Dome of the Rock, the little-known Roman Temple of Jupiter, Herod's massive Temple Mount, the Temple built by the exiles returning from Babylon, and finally Solomon's Temple. With a lively and informative text to accompany the pictures, Jerusalem's Temple Mount is replete with archaeology, history, legends (Jewish, Christian, and Muslim), inscriptions, biblical interpretations, and forgeries.

An examination of the alluring mysteries surrounding the ancient temple, revealing answers to questions that have puzzled generations. Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem—reputed to be the source of the most esoteric knowledge in human history—has fascinated scholars, seekers and dreamers for centuries. Generations of scholars and researchers have tried in vain to discover the fabled Temple of Solomon, only to be confronted by one problem after another. All the problems raised by these disparate and often desperate people have now been fully answered and can be revealed to the world. Through his own involvement in secret societies and his tenacious spirit, Philip Gardiner has unearthed the secrets of the Temple. From the Queen of Sheba and the arcane secrets of the Christian Gnostics to the Muslim Sufi and Hindu Avatars, Gnosis weaves a tale that is both profound and precise. Gardiner declares that the truth of Solomon’s Temple has been known all along within the realm of esoteric understanding. Only one question remains: Is the world ready for the truth? Find the true secret of the Knights Templar and the mysteries of the ancients. Find the truth for yourself in Gnosis. Praise for Gnosis “Controversial, provocative, even profoundly “irritating” to some. . . . Gardiner eruditely challenges us all with this refreshing study . . . from the Garden of Eden into more modern times.” —Dr. Karen Ralls, medieval historian and author of The Templars and the Grail “Gnosis is a refreshing creation of true spiritual teaching—as well as being a damn good read. Gardiner possesses that rare ability to weave history, mythology and spiritual tradition into writing that is both understandable and enjoyable. Gnosis will fascinate readers with its complex insights into spirituality.” —Gnostic Communications internet magazine “In this remarkable and thought-provoking book, Gardiner has literally undressed the sacred mystical language of our ancestors and reveals one of the most profound Biblical concepts to be exposed in recent times.” —Ernest Scott, author of The People of the Secret

A highly original architectural history of Solomon’s Temple and Islam’s Dome of the Rock that doubles as a social and cultural history of the region The most extensive study of the interrelated history of two monuments, Solomon’s Temple and The Dome of the Rock, drawing on an exhaustive review of all the visual and textual evidence Relayed as a gripping narrative, allowing readers to re-enter and experience the emotions and the visceral reality of the major events in its history Integrates illustration with the text to offer a highly detailed and accurate portrait of the major structures and figures involved in the history of the temple Opens up a fascinating line of questioning into the conventional interpretation of events, particularly Christ’s actions in the Temple Reproduces rarely seen detailed drawings of the subterranean passages beneath Temple Mount as part of the British survey in the 19th century

A highly original architectural history of Solomon’s Temple and Islam’s Dome of the Rock that doubles as a social and cultural history of the region The most extensive study of the interrelated history of two monuments, Solomon’s Temple and The Dome of the Rock, drawing on an exhaustive review of all the visual and textual evidence Relayed as a gripping narrative, allowing readers to re-enter and experience the emotions and the visceral reality of the major events in its history Integrates illustration with the text to offer a highly detailed and accurate portrait of the major structures and figures involved in the history of the temple Opens up a fascinating line of questioning into the conventional interpretation of events, particularly Christ’s actions in the Temple Reproduces rarely seen detailed drawings of the subterranean passages beneath Temple Mount as part of the British survey in the 19th century

Solomon's Temple also known as the First Temple and royal palace from the Hebrew Bible have been a riddle for millennia. Biblical descriptions of these structures have proven difficult to interpret. Yet authors Yosef Garfinkel and Madeleine Mumcuoglu believe they have unlocked the meaning of these enigmatic Biblical passages, thanks to the discovery of a small stone Temple model at Khirbet Qeiyafa. In their book, 'Solomon s Temple and Palace: New Archaeological Discoveries', Garfinkel and Mumcuoglu provide a new understanding of the Biblical descriptions, allowing a new representation of Solomon's Temple and palace.