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Bir al-Zeibaq, on the Road between Lod and Ramla, in the Ottoman Period and in Modern Era

Prof. Avraham (Avi) Sasson, Israel Studies Department – Ashkelon Academic College (AAC)
ISSN 2788-5151
Open Access Journal
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Abstract

English
עברית
العربية

On the main road between Lod and Ramla there is a site called Bir Zeibak (the Mercury Well, or the Well of Peace). During earlier periods the site was located on the Via Maris, on the way to Lod.

According to various traditions Lod, and primarily the city gate, was the place where the Dajjal, the false messiah, would be killed. A late tradition connected the vision of the Day of Judgment with the well at this site. Clermont Ganneau is the only 19th century historian who noted that this well had a sabil. Opposite the well, on the eastern side of the historic road, there is a huge sycamore tree, which along with the water source turned the place into a way station between Lod and Ramla, for which there is testimony from the modern period.

The article presents the sequence of historical testimony about the site and analyzes the architectural and artistic findings. In light of all that we can assert that the site really did serve as a sabil, but it was also a unique model in the country, similar to the functions of the Sabil Kuttab that is common in Egypt during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods. The attempt to date the site is based on the architectural and artistic elements along with the historical sources. From that we assume that in its present format, the site was built only during the Ottoman period.

Nor is the sycamore tree is not here by chance. It represents an ancient custom of planting trees along the roadsides for the benefit of the public, a custom that continued into the Middle Ages and the later periods. The sycamore and the sabil at this site reflect the historical array of services provided for travelers in the Lod region.

על אם הדרך בין לוד לרמלה ניצב מבנה המכונה בערבית ‘ביר זייבאק’ (באר הכספית) או ‘באר השלום’. בתקופות ההיסטוריות ניצב המבנה על ‘דרך הים’ בואכה העיר לוד. מסורות שונות קשרו את לוד, ובעיקר את שער העיר, כמקום שבו ייהרג ה’דג’אל’, משיח השקר. מסורת מאוחרת קושרת את חזון יום הדין עם הבאר באתר זה. במאה ה-19 העיד קלרמון-גאנו על סביל שפעל בצמוד לביר אל-זייבאק. אל מול הבאר, מצדה המזרחי של הדרך ההיסטורית, ניצב עץ שקמה אדיר ממדים. הבאר והעץ היוו יחדיו תחנת עצירה בין הערים לוד ורמלה.

המאמר מציג את רצף העדויות ההיסטוריות אודות האתר ומנתח את הממצא האדריכלי והאמנותי. ניתן לקבוע כי האתר אכן שימש כסביל, אולם היה זה דגם ייחודי מאוד בארץ, הדומה לאופן תפקודו של ‘סביל כותאב’ אשר היה נפוץ במצרים בתקופות הממלוכית והעות’מאנית. תיארוך המבנה מבוסס על המרכיבים האדריכליים והאמנותיים המאפיינים אותו, לצד המקורות ההיסטוריים.  אנו מניחים שהאתר, במתכונתו הנוכחית, נבנה רק בתקופה העות’מאנית.

גם עץ השקמה איננו כאן במקרה. הוא משקף מנהג קדום של נטיעת עצים בצדי דרכים, לטובת הרבים, מנהג קדום שנמשך בימי הביניים ובתקופות המאוחרות. עץ השקמה ומבנה הסביל משקפים את המערך ההיסטורי של השירותים שניתנו לעוברי הדרכים באזור לוד.

يوجد على الطريق بين اللدّ والرملة مبنى يعرف باسم (بئرالزئبق) وباللغة العبرية باسم (بئر السلام). عبر الحقوب التاريخية، كان المبنى قائماً على (طريق البحر) قريبًا من مدينة اللدّ. اعتبرت رواياتٌ قديمة مدينةَ اللدّ عامةً وبوابة اللدّ خاصةً، مكانَ مقتل المسيح الدجّال في أخر الزمان. أمّا الروايات المتأخّرة فتُحدّد موقعَ مقتل المسيح الدجال يوم الدين عند هذه البئر.

أشار الرحالة الفرنسي كليرمونت جانو، في القرن التاسع عشر على، وجود سبيل ماء عند بئر الزئبق. مقابل البئر، على الجانب الشرقي من الطريق القديم، توجد شجرة جميز ضخمة. شكلت البئر والشجرة معًا محطّة استراحة بين مدينتي اللدّ والرملة. يطرح المقالُ تسلسلَ الأدلّة التاريخية حول الموقع فيحلّل الاكتشافات المعمارية والفنية فيه. يمكن القول أنّ الموقعَ استخدم بالفعل سبيل ماء، لكنه يعتبر نموذجًا فريدًا من نوعه في البلاد على نمط ال(سبيل كتاب) الذي كان شائعًا في مصر خلال العصرَين المملوكيّ والعثمانيّ. يعتمد تحديد تأريخ المبنى على العناصر المعمارية والفنّيّة التي تميّزه عن غيره من المعالم الاثرية إلى جانب شهادة المصادر التاريخية. نفترض أنّ الموقعَ بصيغته الحالية قد بُني في العصر العثمانيّ فقط، وان زُرعت شجرةُ الجميز بشكل مقصود حسب العادة القديمة لزراعة الأشجار المظِلّة على جوانب الطرق من أجل عابري الطريق بدايةً في العصور الوسطى حتى فترات متاخّرة. إذٌا تمثل شجرة الجميز وماء السبيل مجموعة الخدمات المتوفرة لعابري الطريق بمنطقة اللد في عصور غابرة.

الكلمات الدالة: طرق تاريخية، ماء سبيل، اشجار عامة، جميزة، الفترة العثمانية

Key Words

historic roadsOttoman Periodsabilsycamoretrees for the public benefit
The article

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