One of the largest quarries in Jerusalem, dating back to the end of the Second Temple period, has been unearthed in recent weeks during an excavation conducted by the Antiquities Authority in the Har Hotzvim industrial area in Jerusalem, funded by the company Vitanya. The excavated area covers approximately 3,500 square meters and is part of a large field of quarries, where stone tools were found that, according to halacha (Jewish law), were not subject to impurity and were used by the Jewish population. During the excavation, archaeologists discovered dozens of building stones of various sizes, as well as cutting and separation channels, which demonstrate the size of the rock blocks extracted from the site.
Most of the building stones extracted from here were huge rock blocks, about 2.5 meters long, 1.2 meters wide, and about 40 centimeters thick, say Mikhail Tzernin and Lera Shilov, directors of the excavation on behalf of the Antiquities Authority.
Each block extracted weighed about 2.5 tons! The impressive size of the stones extracted from this quarry may indicate that they were intended to be used as building stones in one of the many state construction projects that took place in Jerusalem at the end of the Second Temple period, beginning with King Herod the Great (who reigned from 37 to 4 BCE). According to historical sources, Herod’s construction projects in Jerusalem included, first and foremost, the expansion of the Temple Mount and the Temple itself. Additionally, during his reign, a series of impressive public buildings were constructed throughout the city: palaces and fortifications that required a huge amount of quality building stones. Monumental construction projects continued in the city even during the times of Herod’s successors: the most important of these projects was the construction of the “third wall” of the city by Herod’s grandson, King Agrippa I (who reigned from 37 to 44 CE).
It can be assumed, with a high degree of caution, that at least some of the building stones extracted from here were intended to be used as paving slabs for the streets of Jerusalem of that time, say Tzernin and Shilov.
In another excavation by the Antiquities Authority, conducted in recent years in the City of David, archaeologists discovered a paved street (the stepped street “Pilgrim’s Road”) that also dates to the end of the Second Temple period: to the surprise of many, it turns out that the pavement stones of this street are identical in size, thickness, and geological composition to the stone slabs now being extracted in the exposed quarry at Har Hotzvim.
In one corner of the quarry, archaeologists were surprised to discover an intact stone tool. The tool, hidden in a corner for two thousand years, was discovered almost by chance by archaeologist Alex Petchorov.
It is a stone purification tool of the type used by the Jewish community in the days of the Second Temple, says Lera Shilov. It is possible that it was designed on site, in the quarry area, or that it was brought specifically to the site for use by the stonecutters.
The current excavation reveals another aspect of Jerusalem’s history during its golden age, shortly before its destruction by the Romans in 70 CE. According to Dr. Amit Reem, archaeologist of the Jerusalem area at the Antiquities Authority: We are working tirelessly, together with the developer, to present the quarry and integrate it into the planned commercial complex for this site. Thus, the general public will be able to appreciate this impressive stone extraction project for the Jerusalem of the Second Temple period.
According to Eli Eskozido, director of the Antiquities Authority, The revelation of this immense quarry, just before the nine days and Tisha B’Av, is very symbolic and exciting. The unique stone tools discovered here will be exhibited to families at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Archaeology Complex in Jerusalem, which this summer opens for the first time to the public. I invite everyone to our tours, and to learn about a fragment of the past that has just come to light.
SOURCES
- Share this article:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The Cadastre of Orange, the Roman Map Showing How Conquered Land Was Divided Among Settlers
The Cadastre of Orange is an ancient plan that shows the Roman centuriations (land distributions) that extended across the territory of the colony of Arausio (modern-day Orange in France) in…
How Were Mirrors Made in Ancient Egypt? An Analysis Reveals the Use of Alloys That Produced Golden or Silver Reflections
The mirrors of ancient Egypt have been the subject of great attention for their cultural importance and their connection to religious beliefs. However, their manufacturing process has not been thoroughly…
How the Bishop of the Diocese of Orlando Became the Bishop of the Moon
The year 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of Man’s landing on the Moon. It was on July 21, 1969, when Commander Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface where the Eagle,…
The Enigmatic Cones Worn by the Ancient Egyptians on Their Heads
Some readers, when looking closely at the Egyptian paintings in the tomb of the scribe Nebamun, might be surprised by the strange shapes crowning the figures’ heads. It may seem…
Rihonor de Castilla, the Village that is Half Spanish and Half Portuguese
Border towns and territories often have a turbulent history, being the object of both military and political confrontations over their possession, and frequently changing hands. When it comes to regions,…
Marcus Antonius Pallas, the Treasurer of Two Roman Emperors Who Became Rich Without Ever Embezzling Public Funds
Callistus, Terentius, Hyginus, Narcissus, Asiaticus, Neophytus, Phaon, Pallas… What do these names of historical figures from Ancient Rome have in common? All of them were freedmen, that is, slaves freed…
Thorin, the World’s Loneliest Neanderthal, Belonged to a Lineage Isolated for Over 50,000 Years
A fossilized Neanderthal, discovered in a cave system in the Rhône Valley, France, has been identified as belonging to an ancient and previously unknown lineage that split from other known…
The Tired Light Theory and James Webb Telescope Observations Challenge the Validity of the Big Bang
A recent study by an engineer from Kansas State University offers new observational support for a century-old theory that directly challenges the validity of the Big Bang theory. Lior Shamir,…
Enigmatic Rock-Cut Architecture of Zoroastrian Origin Discovered in Madagascar
An international team of researchers has made a surprising archaeological discovery in the heart of Madagascar that could rewrite the history of the island’s settlement and its connections with distant…
The Zagros Mountains were the place where Neanderthals and modern humans interbred
An international team of researchers has used innovative ecological modeling techniques to identify, for the first time, the possible geographical areas where Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans might have encountered…
Iron Was The First and Only Metal of Life’s Origin
Life as we know it relies on small quantities of metals to perform essential biological functions like breathing, DNA transcription, and energy conversion. Since the earliest forms of life floated…
Terror Birds, the Superpredators of Prehistoric South America
In the vast plains of ancient South America, millions of years ago, a menacing shadow loomed over the grasslands. It wasn’t a dinosaur or a mammalian predator, but a colossal…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.