surroundings. Another mosque worth referring to is the Mosque of Hashim at Gaza, built or rebuilt in the nineteenth century on the square open court plan.
§ 2. Department of Antiquities.
Constitution and Functions.—Upon the establishment of the Civil Administration of Palestine, a Department of Antiquities was formed under the control of the Director of the British School of Archaeology, which had lately been founded in Jerusalem. Shortly afterwards an Archaeological Advisory Board was constituted and an Antiquities Ordinance promulgated.
The Advisory Board, an important feature of the constitution of the Department, consists of representatives of the several archaeological bodies working in Palestine (British, French, American, Italian, Greek and Jewish) under the chairmanship of the Director of Antiquities, and deals with all archaeological questions of importance, especially with those likely to involve opposing interests, and more particularly with permits to excavate. The existence and authority of this board constitute a recognition of the international character of archaeological work in the Holy Land.
The Antiquities Ordinance, whose aim is the protection of the antiquities of the country, is a comprehensive document, based not only on the collective advice of archaeological and legal experts, but also on the results and experience of neighbouring countries. In due time it is anticipated that it may be simplified and modified in some particulars to bring it into line with the proposed French Law of Antiquities for Syria.
Its underlying principles are, firstly, that the antiquities and monuments of Palestine belong to the country and its people; secondly, that the Government shall facilitate in every possible way the carrying out of excavations by scientific bodies of recognized standard irrespective of nationality.
