Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 18.djvu/196

 178 P A L P A L may be suspected of being artificially adjusted. The number 2^ to 3 millions may indeed be taken as a maximum ; the population can hardly ever have been more than four times its present strength, which is estimated at 650,000 souls. Thus, in the most flourishing period, about 250 to 300 inhabitants would go to the square mile, while at present there may be about 65, a number which is rather above than below the mark. Lists based on information collected by the Turkish Government give much lower figures, viz., for the sanjak of Jerusalem (with the districts Jerusalem, Yafa, Hebron), 276 places with about 24,000 houses (families) ; for the sanjak Belka (with the districts of Nabulus, Jennin, Ajlun, and Es-Salt), 317 places and 18,984 houses ; for the sanjak Akka (Acre) (with the districts Akka, Haifa, and Safed), 160 places with 11.023 houses, making a total of 753 places with 54,237 houses. Reckoning five persons per house, this gives a population of 271,185, exclusive of the small number of Bedouins. Detailed statistics there are none as regards the relative strength of the Bedouin element and the peasantry, the numerical representation of the different religions, or any matter of this sort. The ethuographico-geographical sketch given above has shown how the population of Palestine even at an early date was a very mingled one ; for even when they arrived in the country foreign elements were present among the Israelites, and later on they absorbed or were absorbed by the Canaanites. The Philistines, Moabites, and others in course of time were merged in the new nationality. From the period of the exile colonies from the east settled in the country, and so powerful did the Aramaean con tingent gradually grow that Aramaean became the popular tongue. Next were added Greek and Roman colonies. The Arabic element exerted considerable influence even before the days of Islam ; with the Mohammedan concniest it became the dominant power, though it was only by slow degrees that it obtained numerical superiority. The Arab tribes transplanted to Palestine their old distinctions, especially that -between Northern and Southern Arabs (Kais and Yemen ; cf. ARABIA). The Arab peasantry is still divided into clans ; for example, the districts of the Beni Hasan and Beni Malik to the west of Jerusalem, those of the Beni Harith, Beni Zeid, and Beni Murra to the north, and that of Beni Salim to the east. Till recently the relations of the separate clans of fellahin was one of mutual hostility, and, unhindered by the Turkish Government, they engaged in sanguinary conflicts. In manners and in language (though Arabic is universally in vogue) the Palestine peasants retain much that is ancient. It is extravagant, however, to main tain from the traditions they preserve that primeval Canaanite elements still exist among them. The prevalent type, in fact, is Syro- Arabic, or in many districts pure Arabic ; and their supersti tious customs are partly remains of Syrian beliefs, partly modern Arabic reproductions, under similar external conditions, of ancient superstitions. These remarks are applicable to the saint worship at present spread through the whole Oriental world. The fellahin are on the whole a diligent frugal race, not destitute of intelli gence. If well treated by a just Government which would protect them from the extortions of the nomadic tribes, they would be the means, with the assistance of the capitalist, of greatly improving the cultivation of the country, especially in the various lowland districts. They choose their own village sheiks, who derive most of their authority from the reputation of their virtues, their bravery, and their liberality. The Bedouins, i.e., wandering tribes of pure Arab origin, also play an important part in the country. Till quite recently they used to visit certain settled dis tricts and exact black mail from the peasants ; and they find their undisputed domain in those districts which are incapable of cultiva tion, and fit only for cattle rearing, and in other fertile portions which for various reasons are not occupied by the husbandman. To the first class belong the belt of desert to the west of the Dead Sea, the southernmost parts of the country west of Jordan and the south country beyond the river (Moab) ; to the second belong the greater portion of the maritime plain, the depression of the Jordan valley, and part of the country to the east. The divisions of the Arab tribes will be discussed in the article SYKIA. In Palestine east of Jordan the Beni Sakhr (Moab) are of most importance ; Jebel Ajlun is the seat of the Adwan. The Ghawarine (the inhabitants of the Ghor or Jordan depression) form a peculiar race which, as they arc partly agricultural, have been a long time settled in the district. In type, as well as by their degeneracy, they are distinguished from the other Bedouins. The true Bedouin style of life can be studied only beyond the Jordan or to the south of Palestine, the tribes west of the river, such as the Ta amire and Jehalin in the south being all more or less deteriorated. As the Turkish race does not fall to be treated in connexion with Palestine, it simply remains to mention the Prankish (European) elements. During the Middle Ages these were not unimportant, especially nlong the coast ; numerous ruined churches are still to be seen as the last and only memorials of crusaders colonies (see Vogue, Les eglises de fa Terre Sainte, Paris, 1860, and the article SYRIA). Nor must the missionary efforts be forgotten which in our own times have been again specially directed to Palestine. As regards the Roman Catholic Church, the Francis cans have maintained their position in the Holy Land even in troublous times, and have not only established schools and printing presses but protected the Christian sanctuaries and taken care of pilgrims and travellers. On the whole it may be said that, in comparison with that of the Roman and Greek Churches, the influence of Protestants is outwardly small. A German sect called the Templars settled in Palestine some years ago, and has now colonies at Yafa, Sarona, Jerusalem, and Haifa. The colonists, about 1000 in number, have to contend with many and grievous difficulties, and are deficient in capital. AVine-growing is the most lucrative branch of their activity. As long as the Turks hold rule over the country successful colonization is hardly possible. Literature. Tlie literature in regard to Palestine is extremely abundant. As bibliographical guides of the first class may be mentioned Tobler, Biblioyraphia geograpkica Palasstinte, Leipsic, 18(J9 (a supplement to this appeared in Petz- holdt s Seuer Anzeiger fur Bibliogr. und Bibliothekwissenschaft, Dresden, 1875). The works published between 18G7-77 (with additions to Tobler) will be found in Rohricht and Meisner s Deutsche Pilgerreisen nach iletn Heiliyen Lande, Berlin, 1880 (pp. 547-648). Socin has given an annual survey of current litera ture from 1877 in the Zeitschr. ties Deutschen Paliistina-Vereins. Compare also Archives de / Orient Latin, i., Paris, 1881. The series of old pilgrimages pub lished by the Societe&quot; de 1 Orient Latin deserves special mention : Itinera Latina bel/is sacris anteriora, Geneva, 1879 ; Itineraires a Jerusalem et descriptions de la Terre Sainte red. en franfais aux Xl-XIII siec es, Geneva, 1882. Older studies on the geography of Palestine are Eusebius, Onomasticon urbium et locorum Sancl/e Scriptures (edited by Larsow and Pan hey, 1802, and 1 e La garde, 1S70); Neubauer, La geographic du Talmud, Paris, 1808; Haclr. Reland, Palxstina monumeniis veteribus i/litstrata, 2 vols., 1714 ; Hitter, Vergleichende Erdkunde, vol. xv.-xvii., Berlin, 1850-55 ; K. Raumer, Palastina (4th ed., 18 iO; now to be com pletely remodelled by Furrer). Strictly scientific accounts of travel begin only in the present century; the credit of having led the way belongs to E. Robinson (Biblical Researches in Palatine, 1841 ; Later Biblical Researches, 1856 ; Physical Geography, 1865). Of importance is the voluminous work of V. GneYin, Descrip tion geographique, historique, et archeologique de la Palestine, 18(iS, s&amp;lt;?. Splenc id service has been rendered by the Palestine Exploration Fund, which has published Quarterly Statements since 18l&amp;gt;9, the labours of Wilson, Warren, and Cornier being particularly noteworthy. In 1880 appeared Condor and Kitchener s Map of Western Palestine (26 sheets), the result of surveys extending over many years; an edition in. MX sheets was published in London in 1881. Trelawncy Saunders s Special Edition illustrating the Divisions and the Mountain Ranges, 1882, is to bo recommended (compare his valuable Introduction to the Survey &amp;lt;&amp;gt;f Yfttirn Palestine its Waterways, Plains, and Highlands, 1881); but the same cannot be said about the Special Edition of the map illustrating the Old Testament and that illustrating the New Testament, London, 1882 (each -six. sheets), many of the identifications resting on mere provisional conjecture. As companions to the great maps we have Memoirs of the Topography, Orography, Hydrography, and Archxoloijy (3 vols.), a Name- List (1 vol.), Special Papers (reprinted from the Statements, 1 vol.), Jerusalem (1 vol.), Flora and Fauna (1 vol.). The Exploration Fund is preparing to accomplish a similar work for the country east of Jordan, since the American Society, which was to have undertaken the survey of that region, has relinquished the undertaking (compare also Selah Merrill, East of the Jordan, New York, 1881). The German Palastina- Verein has published its Zeitschrift since 1878, a yearly volume of topographical and historical investi gations on definite points. Guide-books which may partly serve as works of reference are Baedeker s Palestine and Syria (written by Socin, 1876), Murray s Handbook for Travellers in Syria and Palestine (by Porter, 1875), and Joanne s Guide (new edition, 1882). Th9 best illustrated work is Picturesque Palestine, Syria, and E iypt (edited by Colonel Wilson, &c., London, 1881), to which may be added D. Roberts, The Holy Land, and Lortct, La Siirie d aujourd hui, 1884. W. M. Thomson s Tlie Land and the Hook, London, 1881-83, is of particular value for manners and customs. For natural history, see Tristram, The Land of Israel (London, 1861) and Natural History of the Bible (London, 1873). Lartet s geological investigations will be found in De Lnynes, Voy. d exploration a la, Mer Morte, &amp;lt;fec., Paris, 1876. For matter of geographical detail consult especially Tobler s works (Bethlehem; Nazareth; Dritte Wanderung, Ac.). Wilson, The Lands of the Bible, Edinburgh, 1847: Condor, Tent Work in Palestine, 1878; and Finn, Byncays in Palestine. London, 18G8, may conclude thelist. Mcnke s Ilistor- ischer At/as (Gotha, 1868) is still the best. (A. So.) PALESTRINA. See PR^NESTE. PALESTRINA, GIOVANNI PIERLTTIGI DA (r. 1524- 1594), now universally distinguished by the honourable title Princeps Musicaz, occupies a more important position in the history of art than any other composer, ancient or modern ; for it is to his transcendent genius that music is indebted for its emancipation from pedantic trammels, which, ignoring beauty as its most necessary element, were fast tending to reduce it to the level of an arithmetical problem. The exact date of Palestrina s birth is unrecorded. It most probably took place in 1524, and certainly at Palestrina (the Praeneste of Roman geographers, whence the style accorded to him in Latin 1 ). Some early writers call him Gianetto da Palestina, or simply Gianetto ; and this early custom -which has led some modern critics to mistake his identity combined with the general use of his Christian names only, has induced the belief that he was of peasant origin ; but Signor Cicerchia is said to have discovered at Palestrina documents proving that bis father bore the family name of Sante, and his mother that of Gismondi, in which case he must have been of gentle birth. The statement, however, needs confirmation. 1 Joannes Petrus Aloysius (or Petraloysius) Pncnestinus.