About
Things are developing so rapidly in the world of Biblical Archaeology that I have decided to keep this blog. Here I will comment especially on issues related to the Temple Mount and Jerusalem, as that is my field of expertise. I have researched the problems of the Temple Mount for more than 30 years and feel passionately that the public needs to be informed on what has been called the tinderbox of the Middle East. In order to this, I hope to present a balanced view on issues that arise and welcome your comments.
Leen Ritmeyer, originally from Holland, is an archaeological architect who has been involved in all of Jerusalem’s major excavations. He was chief architect of the Temple Mount Excavations directed by the late Prof. Benjamin Mazar of the Hebrew University. He has also participated in numerous excavations all over Israel, producing site plans and reconstruction drawings. His work has been published in many journals, magazines and books about Biblical Archaeology and has been shown in eminent museums, including the Israel Museum. Together with his wife Kathleen, who he met on the Temple Mount Excavations, he runs a firm called Ritmeyer Archaeological Design, which produces teaching and learning tools used throughout the world.
He has lectured widely in Israel, Britain, Ireland, Germany, the U.S., Australia and New Zealand and featured as expert on Jerusalem and the Temple Mount on many T.V. and radio broadcasts. He taught Biblical Archaeology at the University of Leeds in the U.K. and is Associate Professor at the College of Archaeology & Biblical History, TSW University in Albuquerque NM, USA.
Last year saw the publication of his major work, The Quest, Revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, after thirty years of intensive research.
QUALIFICATIONS
- M.A. in Conservation Studies. Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies, University of York, England, the subject of his thesis being: “The Didactic Approach in Archaeological Restoration”
- Ph.D. Faculty of Arts, University of Manchester, England, the subject of his thesis being:”The Architectural development of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem”
POSITIONS HELD
- Surveyor and Field-architect of the archaeological expedition at the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, headed by the late Prof. Benjamin Mazar.
- Field-architect of the archaeological expedition in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, headed by the late Prof. Nahman Avigad.
- Chief Conservation assistant of the conservation and restoration of the Byzantine Cardo in the Jewish Quarter.
- Manager of the conservation and restoration of Herodian (Roman) villas in the Jewish Quarter.
- Both projects on behalf of the Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem.
- Director of the conservation and restoration of Roman and Byzantine farm houses at Ramat Hanadiv on Mount Carmel in Israel.
- On behalf of Yad Hanadiv, the Rothschild Foundation in Israel.
- Director of the conservation of Khan el-Ahmar, a Byzantine Monastery in the Judeaen Desert.
- On behalf of the Regional Council of Maaleh Adummim in Israel.
- Architect of Kh. Al-Makater (Bethel-Ai project) of the Associates for Biblical Research.
- Adjunct Professor of Biblical Archaeology at Trinity College, Albuquerque NM, USA.
- Computer Graphic Consultant for the BBC1 series ‘The Son of God’.
- Lecturer in Biblical Archaeology at the University of Leeds, U.K.
GRANTS
Researcher into the problem of the exact location of the Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Grant awarded by the Biblical Archaeology Society through the generosity of Joseph Hurley, Esq. and Ms. Davia Solomon, of North Hollywood, California, U.S.A.
Post-doctoral researcher into the relationship between the Sakhra and the Holy of Holies of the Temple of Jerusalem. In Jerusalem.
Grant awarded by the Rothschild Foundation in Geneva, Switzerland.
Recipient of grant from the Lamb Foundation (located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, NM, USA) to publish a book on The Archaeology of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
PUBLICATIONS
- K.& L. Ritmeyer Reconstructing Herod’s Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Washington 1990.
- K.& L. Ritmeyer “Reconstructing the Triple Gate”, in BAR 15,6, Washington, 1989.
- L. Ritmeyer “Quarrying and Transporting Stones for Herod’s Temple Mount”, in BAR 15,6, Washington, 1989.
- L. Ritmeyer The Didactic Approach in Archaeological Restoration, thesis submitted for the degree M.A. (Conservation Studies), University of York, 1990.
- L. Ritmeyer “Locating the Original Temple Mount”, in BAR 18, 2, Washington, 1992.
- L. Ritmeyer The Architectural Development of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, University of Manchester, 1992.
- L. Ritmeyer “The Ark of the Covenant, where it stood in Solomon’s
- Temple”, BAR. Jan./Feb. ‘96.
- L. Ritmeyer The Temple and the Rock, Harrogate, 1996.
- L. & K. Ritmeyer Secrets of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, Washington DC, 1998.
- L. & K. Ritmeyer From Sinai to Jerusalem, the wanderings of the Holy Ark,
- Jerusalem, 2000.
- L. Ritmeyer ‘Ritmeyer responds to Jacobson’, in: ‘Where was the
- Temple?’, Biblical Archaeology Review 26.2, pp. 52-59, 2000.
- L. & K. Ritmeyer The Ritual of the Temple in the time of Christ, Jerusalem, 2002.
- L. & K. Ritmeyer Jerusalem in the year 30AD, Jerusalem, 2004.
- L. & K. Ritmeyer Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah, Jerusalem, 2005.
- L. Ritmeyer The Quest - revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 2006.
- L. & K. Ritmeyer Secrets of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, Updated & Enlarged Edition, Washington DC, 2006.
PRODUCED RECONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS FOR THE FOLLOWING EXCAVATIONS
Temple Mount, Jewish Quarter, City of David, Citadel, Damascus Gate, Ketef Hinnom.
Bashan, Tel Qasileh, Kanaf, En Nashut, Tel Dor, Judean Desert Monasteries, Tel Batash, Bet Shean, Tel Acco, Shiloh, Mt. Ebal, Chorazin, Kh. Minya, Qalat Nimrod, Hyrcania, Monastery of Martyrius , Tel Arad, Tel Beersheva, Meroth, Tel Dan, Gezer, Aroer, Ruheibe, Qumran, Masada, Tel Asdod, Hamat Gader, Ramat Hanadiv, Banias, (Caesarea Phillipi), Mt. Gerizim, Shechem (Nablus), Hebron, Alonei Mamre, Givat Olga (Tel Afar), Sussita, Emek Refaim, Tel Teo, Kypros, Nessana, Kh. el Maqatir, amongst others.
CONTRIBUTED TO THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTARIES
- The Dead Sea Scrolls Revealed - Logos
- The Son of God - BBC1
- Secrets of Jerusalem - Atlantic
- Jews, Romans and a Man Named Jesus - Chimera Productions
- Footsteps of Jesus - MPH Entertainment
- Pathways through Jerusalem - Superstudio, Jerusalem
- The Trial of Jesus - Providence Pictures
- Modern Marvels, Bible Tech - Actuality Productions
DESIGN OF ARCHITECTURAL MODELS OF ANCIENT SITES
- Bronze Age gate at Tel Dan (Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem)
- Iron Age gate at Gezer (Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem)
- Palatial Mansion in Jerusalem (Herodian Quarter, Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem)
- Herod’s Temple Mount in Jerusalem (private client in Washington DC)
- Herod’s Temple (private client in Washington DC)
- Herod’s Temple Mount in miniature (Ritmeyer Archaeological Design)
- Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem (private client in Washington DC)
- The Tabernacle and its court (private client in Washington DC)
- The Tabernacle (private client in Washington DC)
LECTURED AT THE FOLLOWING INSTITUTIONS
U.K.
- University of Manchester
- University of London
- University of Oxford
- University of Sheffield
- University of York
- University of Leeds
- University of Hull
U.S.A.
- School of Architecture, University of Maryland MD
- Baltimore Hebrew University
- Jewish Community Centre of Greater Washington
- Wheaton College, Wheaton IL
- Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI
- Milwaukee Wisconsin Archaeology Society
- Madison Wisconsin Archaeology Society
- Near East Archaeology Society
- TSW University, Albuquerque NM (yearly seminars at International Symposium for Biblical Archaeology)
- University of Cincinnatti OH
- University of Judaism, Los Angeles, CA
- Penn State University, PA
- Near Eastern Archaeology Society
- Associates for Biblical Archaeology, Washington DC
- Baptist Seminary, New Orleans LA
- Biblical Archaeology Society, Washington DC