Abraham: the first of the Hebrew patriarchs

arcade: series of arches supported by columns, piers, or pillars

Ark of the Covenant: chest containing the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets, carried by the Hebrews during their desert wanderings

Babylonia: ancient empire of Mesopotamia

basilica: oblong ancient Roman building with a semicircular apse at one end, often used as a court, place of assembly, or Christian church

British Mandate of Palestine: when the Ottoman Empire was defeated in World War I, the British assumed control over Palestine; in 1922 the United Nations granted the British government command over Palestine; Jerusalem was the capital of the British mandate of Palestine from 1922 to 1948

Christianity: major monotheistic religion, based on the life, teachings, and death of Jesus, who is considered by Christians to be the Son of God; Christian beliefs are embodied in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament

Constantine the Great: Roman emperor who ruled from 310 to 337 C.E. and declared Christianity the official religion of the empire

Crusader: Western Christian who participated in the military campaigns between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries to recapture their "Holy Land" from the Muslims

Fatimid: Muslim dynasty of North Africa and Egypt

Hebrews: ancestors of the Jews

Helena: Emperor Constantine the Great's mother, who is credited with the discovery of Christ's cross and the locations of events associated with the last days of his life

Islam: major monotheistic religion based on the doctrine of submission to Allah (God in Arabic) and acceptance of Muhammad as the last and chief prophet of Allah; the Koran is the sacred text of Islam, believed to contain the revelations of Allah to Muhammad

Jesus Christ: founder of Christianity

Judaism: monotheistic religion of the Jewish people based on the belief in the ultimate arrival of Gods kingdom on earth; the Old Testament and Talmud embody Judaisms spiritual and ethical principles

Mecca: city in western Saudi Arabia; the birthplace of Muhammad; it is one of the three holiest cities of Islam

Medina: city in western Saudi Arabia; Muhammad lived in Medina after fleeing from Mecca; its large mosque contains the tombs of Muhammad and his daughter, Fatima

monotheism: belief in one God

mosaic: decorative design or picture made by setting small colored pieces, often tile, in mortar

Muhammad: chief prophet of Islam whose teachings and revelations are recorded in the Koran

Muslim: one who believes in Islam

Night Journey: also known as the Celestial Journey; Muhammad's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem, which is alluded to in the Koran; Muhammad made his journey astride a mythical winged creature; the trip was magically completed in one night, and from Jerusalem, the prophet ascended into heaven

Ottoman Turks: Turkish people who founded the Ottoman Empire in the thirteenth century, which lasted into the twentieth century and was the largest of the modern states, extending into Asia, Europe, and Africa

pilgrim: person who journeys to a shrine or sacred place as an act of religious devotion

retaining wall: wall built to support or prevent the movement of a mass of earth or water

rotunda: circular hall or building, especially one with a dome; a large room with a high ceiling

sepulchre: burial vault; a container for sacred relics

Suleiman the Magnificent: tenth Ottoman Sultan; took over the Turkish throne in 1520 at the age of twenty-six; under his rule the Ottoman Empire reached the height of its power; he built the monumental walls standing today in Jerusalem

shrine: place for sacred objects or relics