Al-Bad Museum For Olive-Oil Production

The history of live oil production can be traced back to more than 5,000 years in Palestine.Palestine was a major center for live oil production testified by the great number of presses cut in the rock from the Roman Times.This is why the olive oil production season is one of great festivities and special celebrations since it is an integral part of economic and social activities.

For many centuries "al-Bad"was the only way of producing olive oil in big quantities.With the introduction of modern technologies in producing olive oil in the first half of the twentieth century,traditional "Bad"was widely abandoned. The "Bad"consists of two parts,the Stone Basin,"al- Qas'ah",and the Threshing Stone,"Hajar al-Bad or Hajar al-Dras",which is more than one ton in weight.

The Threshing Stone turns over the basin mashing the olives in the .process,which are taken afterwards to the oil press for olive oil production.

The museum exhibits archeological and ethnographic artifacts featuring the whole process of olive oil production from gathering the olives to the production of oil.The museum also exhibits tools for the various uses of olive oil such as lighting,food,medication and cosmetics as well as its use in industries such as the soap,medicine and others.

The museum also has samples of handicrafts using olivewood.

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The Armenian Quarter

Within the Old City,the quarter lies to the south of Jaffa Gate.Christ Church,opposite the Eastern Gate of the Citadel,was the first Anglican Church in the Ottoman Empire.

The first nation to embrace Christianity in 286 AD,the Armenians claim a presence in Jerusalem since the first century when an Armenian battalion fought un- der Titus.

A town within a town,the walled compound contains St.James Cathedral,the Convent of the Olive Tree, the Armenian Patriarch residence,a monastery as well as beautiful Armenian ceramic shops and tasty Arme- nian meat pies (sfeehah)and sausages (soujok).Gate is closed at 21:00 every night.

St.James Cathedral is one of the most gorgeous in Jerusalem.On rich carpets stand carved thrones and lecterns of tortoise-shell and mother-of-pearl.On walls and pillars are tiles of blue and green faience or glazed earthenware.Suspended from the domed roof are gold and silver lamps alternating with porcelain ostrich eggs. Visitors allowed during service,15:00-15:30 daily but half-hour earlier on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Convent of the Olive Tree is where,according to the New Testament,Jesus was taken for judgement before being sent to the High Priest Caiaphas.The olive tree,to which Jesus was supposedly tied,is shown outside the convent.Though very old,it mys- teriously produced olives in 1972,for the first time in Armenian memory.The church was built in the 5^th century and is beautifully decorated in Armenian style with gilded carvings,old paintings and tiled walls and pillars.Best visit time is 8:00-9:00.