GERIZIM, a mountain in Samaria (mod. Jebel et-Tur), 2,849ft. above sea-level. With its companion mountain, Ebal, it flanks the valley in which lies Nablus (Neapolis), the ancient Shechem.
History.—It was on Ebal and Gerizim that the tribes assem bled under Joshua to hear the curses and the blessings connected with the violation and observance of the law (Deut. xi.). The distance from Ai and the position of Ebal and Gerizim in the midst of a hostile country have constituted difficulties which Eusebius, Epiphanius and others met by associating Ebal and Gerizim with hillocks in the lower Jordan valley—a solution that has never found favour. From Gerizim—a prominent rock is still pointed out as his pulpit—Jotham addressed his parable to the treacherous elders of Shechem (Judges ix.). This mountain is the holy place of the Samaritan community. About 432 B.C., follow ing on the refusal of the Jews returned from the Exile to recognize the Samaritans, the latter erected on the mount a temple as rival to that at Jerusalem. This was probably destroyed by John Hyrcanus (c. no B.c.). The Samaritans were expelled from Gerizim by the emperor Zeno, who built a church (484). In the course of his struggle with the Samaritans, Justinian surrounded this church with a fortress.
Archaeology.—A small level plateau near the summit marks the site of the schismatic temple and an important link with the past is the celebration near this spot of the Passover by the Samaritans, now a small body of about 15o souls. "As the sun sets on Passover eve the seven lambs are slain, ceremonially ex amined and roasted in the oven pit. At midnight the covering is removed and the flesh is eaten by the standing elders with their families in the improvised tents. Anything left over is scrupu lously collected and consumed, so that the letter of the command ment may be kept." Recently (1928) excavations carried out by the German Archaeological Institute have uncovered Zeno's basilica. This building f t. by 98f t. ), which was built over the ruins of the Samaritan temple, exhibits a well-preserved octagonal ground plan. Two side chapels with handsome mosaics have also been disclosed. The abundance of fragments suggests that it will be possible to determine accurately the details of architectural design. (E. Ro.)