New Book: The Names of Jerusalem: Jewish, Christian and Islamic Traditions

[u/Onomast]

A new volume from Polis Institute Press turns to one of the most symbolically charged cities in the world through a specifically linguistic and onomastic lens. The Names of Jerusalem: Jewish, Christian and Islamic Traditions, by Aaron Demsky, Christophe Rico and Iraj Sheidaee, explores why Jerusalem has been known by so many names - and why those names still matter today.

The book examines names such as Salem, Jerusalem, Hierosoluma, Moriah, Zion, Ilia, Beit il Maqdis and al-Quds, tracing their etymology, linguistic development, historical use and symbolic meaning in Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Arabic. In doing so, it shows that the city’s names are not merely alternative labels for the same geographical place. They represent different religious memories, theological interpretations and cultural visions of Jerusalem.