Letter M

236a. Maḥnah / Miḥnah | محنا

‘Ajlūn Governorate

Maqām / Weli Shēkh Maḥnāwi, shajarat Abū Salām /

Absalom

JADIS no. none.

MEGA no. none.

Coordinates: 32°21'54.0"N 35°45'05.0"E

32.365000, 35.751389

 

 

Plan: unknown.

Measurements: unknown.

Exterior: unknown.

Interior: unknown.

Building Materials: unknown.

Construction details: unknown.

Preservation: Today some of the kermes oaks (Quercus calliprinos) survive SW of the village (Nueimat - Alkilani 200). In local tales these trees were associated with the Biblical narrative of Absalom’s death (2 Sam 18,9) whose long hair strands were caught in the boughs of an oak tree as the mule he was riding ran beneath. In this helpless state Joab killed Absalom with three darts through the heart (Augustinović - Bagatti 1951-1952).

Inscription(s): none reported.

Date(s): unknown.

Traveler Reports: “Interessante di notarsi è un bel gruppo di alti lecci (sindjan) fuori del villagio in direzione O ... il posto un vecchio ha aggiunto che questi sono anche ‘alberi di Abusalam’ perchè ad uno di questi egli si è appeso (2 Sam. 18,9) (Augustinović – Bagatti 1951-1952).

Bibliography: Augustinović - Bagatti 1951-1952, 246-247; 291-292 fig. 12; Mittmann 1970, 69 no. 163; Nueimat - Alkilani 2002, 58.

 
Fig. 236a.1 The site of the maqām  Weli Shēkh Maḥnawi with the trees of Absalom (shajarat Abū Salām) (Augustinović - Bagatti 1951-1952, fig. 12).
Fig. 236a.2 The site of the maqām  Weli Shēkh Maḥnawi with the trees of Absalom (shajarat Abū Salām), condition around 2000 (Nueimat - Alkilani 2002 ).

Figures

[Fig. 236a.1 ]
The site of the maqām  Weli Shēkh Maḥnawi with the trees of Absalom (shajarat Abū Salām) (Augustinović - Bagatti 1951-1952, fig. 12).

[Fig. 236a.2 ]
The site of the maqām  Weli Shēkh Maḥnawi with the trees of Absalom (shajarat Abū Salām), condition around 2000 (Nueimat - Alkilani 2002 ).