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| Title | Obelisk at Heliopolis. |
| Creator | Holland, Frederick Whitmore, 1837-1880.
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| Description | Sinai and Jerusalem; or, Scenes from Bible Lands: Illustrated by Twelve Colored Photographic Views, Including a Panorama of Jerusalem, With Descriptive Letterpress. |
| Caption | OBELISK AT HELIOPOLIS, HE ruins of Heliopolis are situated a few miles to the east of Cairo, on the edge of the desert, bounding the narrow strip of cultivation which is fertilised by the river Nile, and which forms the land of Egypt. The ruins consist simply of a wide enclosure of earthen mounds, partly planted with gardens, amidst the trees of which rises a solitary obelisk. This obelisk is the only portion of the ancient temple that still remains to mark the site of the once famous " City of the Sun." The earliest name by which this city was known was On. Under this name it is mentioned in Genesis xli. 45, where it is said that " Pharaoh gave Joseph to wife Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On." We find it mentioned again, nearly 1, 200 years later, under the names of Beth-shemesh and Aven, in the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who foretold the destruction of Egypt by the King of Babylon. " Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar, the King of Babylon; and when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt. He shall break also the images of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt" (Jer. xliii. 13). " The young men of Aven and Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword, and these cities shall go into captivity" (Ezekiel xxx. 17). The special mention that is thus made of this city proves that it was an important place in the time of the prophets. Its temple, dedicated to the worship of the sun, was the origin of the Hebrew name of Beth-shemesh, or " the House of the Sun, " by which it was known amongst the Jews. This was afterwards changed into the Greek form of the name, " Heliopolis." Small as the city was, it obtained a great celebrity, not only on account of the beauty of its temple, but also as a seat of learning. It was the University of Egypt. Philosophers journeyed to it from distant |
| Date | 1870 |
| Publisher | London: Printed by Jas. Truscott and Son, Suffolk Lane, City. |
| Subject.Topical (LCSH) | Palestine -- Description and travel.
Sinai Peninsula -- Description and travel.
Jerusalem -- Description and travel.
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| Subject (Geographic) | Palestine
Sinai Peninsula
Jerusalem
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| Original Item Location | http://library.uh.edu/record=b3601783~S11 |
| Repository | Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries |
| Use and Reproduction | This image is in the public domain and may be used freely. If publishing in print, electronically, or on a website, please use the citation button above. To request higher resolution images, please use the Request High Res button above. |
| File name | meast_201009_034.jpg |
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