In olden days men really knew how to build a terrace wall, didn't they?
This one in the hills west of Jerusalem was probably made by 12th century Crusaders.
To the right of the corner, a tall staircase ascends.
The stones looked especially beautiful in the soft half-light of dawn.
Enlarge the photo 2x and see them better.
I took this picture at 5:37, in between the full moon's setting and the bright sun's rising (as you may know from the previous two posts).
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The mystical in-between time brought to mind the Hebrew song Karev Yom:
(you can listen here)
The day is approaching that is neither day nor night.
Most High, let it be known that Yours is the day and Yours is the night
Place guards over Your City all day and all night
Lighten the darkness of the night with the light of day
The day is approaching that is neither day nor night . . .
Yes, they are beautiful. To think they've been there, faithfully holding themselves in place, for several centuries! I wonder what stories those stones could tell.
ReplyDeleteI love that time of day. Magical. As is the wall. Such a connection to time and history, something hard to find these days!
ReplyDeleteLooking at that wall, the expression out of the mists of time comes to mind. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, these skills are now being taught and remembered.
ReplyDeleteYou really are up early. Apart from a plane to catch, I don't think I've ever voluntarily been out of bed that early!
As you well know, New England farmers know how to make stone walls.
ReplyDeleteCiel, if you had a view like in that place, YOU would be up at the crack of dawn too.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me more about where these skills are taught? I read about dry wall building courses in Yorkshire:
http://www.ydswg.co.uk/courses
I would love to build a terrace wall someday.
Birdman, I'll tell you a secret. I didn't learn the word or the concept of stile (aka style) until I was 50. I climbed a stile over a fence for the first time at Heifer Ranch in Arkansas.
ReplyDeleteBut i think your New England stone walls have a different use. Here in Isael's hill country the walls were built in ancient times to make terraces and therefore little growing plots on the sides of hills.
Built to last, not like today...
ReplyDeleteYes! We still have lots of these, even bridges, dating back to Roman times.
ReplyDeleteThis is a mystical time of day. Art would have a field day with those stones.
ReplyDelete