ABSTRACT
This introductory narrative sets out a small corner of the complex migratory fabric of the Old City in Jerusalem. This densely inhabited square kilometre of land, encircled by imposing stone walls built by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, houses the primary holy places of the three Abrahamic religions in the Holy Land. Since the early twentieth century, the Old City has borne the tense brunt of the duelling national narratives at the core of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, too frequently reflected in physical displacement and bloodshed. The chapter focuses on the Old City case studies, reflecting particularly on the diverse patterns of migration which continue to shape Jerusalem's soundscape today. The case-studies discussed here, articulated through but not limited to sounds and music, remind us of the complex everyday entanglement of religious practices and narratives of migration. Jerusalem has attracted migrants and pilgrims for thousands of years because of its great significance to all three Abrahamic religions.
