I had a long telephone conversation last week with author and model maker Alec Garrard, (pictured above). As I mentioned in a previous post Mr Garrard is the builder of the world famous 'Herod's Temple' model in the U.K.. People travel from all over the world to see this amazing model which is reputed to be the most authentic of its kind.
I asked Mr Garrard if the model is finished. He laughed and replied "It will never be finished!" He went on to tell me that although there are many tiny detailed figures already populating the Temple model, they only represented a fraction of the number that would have populated the vast Temple complex in its day!
As well as making more tiny biblical figures, Mr Garrard is in personal contact with the leading archeologists in Israel, and is always ready to add any new details to the model based on any new archeological finds at the Temple Mount site.
Sadly, there's no website to visit that documents this model, and Mr Garrard, (who is not on the internet), has no plans to launch one, although he does have teaching DVD'S and videos available from his home. The model can be visited any Sunday at Mr Garrard's farm in Suffolk. Moat Farm, Fressingfield, Eye, Suffolk, IP21 5TB. England. You can also order DVD's by phone. Tel: 01379 855361.
For copyright reasons no photography of the model is allowed. However, If any Bible artist would like any photos taken from a particular angle of the model (for reference only), Mr Garrard is happy to oblige for a very reasonable fee.
I also asked about the differences, from model to model, in the design of the giant lamp stands that stood in the 'Women's court'. This is down to the varying sources of information regarding Herod's Temple. The sources used by Alec Garrard in connection with the lamp stands predate the Mishnah, but were not included in it.
Alec Garrard's book 'The Splendor of the Temple' is available from Amazon.com.
I've also ordered a copy of 'The Quest' by Dr Leen Ritmeyer which I'm looking forward to receiving. I will write more about that soon! Alec Garrard's model is based on the historical research up to 1993 of Dr Ritmeyer.
Photo © Alec Garrard / Kregel publications 2008.
Related posts:
'What did Herod's Temple look like?'
