Jerusalem Archives - Page 176 of 199

Remains of Antonia Fortress

The current issue of Biblical Archaeology Review (Jan/Feb 2009) includes an article by Ehud Netzer on the size and location of the Antonia Fortress (teaser here). Built by Herod the Great, this imposing structure both protected the Temple Mount on its vulnerable northern side and it served as a convenient monitoring station for potential uprisings in the Temple area. When Paul was accused of bringing a Gentile beyond the Court of the Gentiles, a riot began. Paul’s life was spared by Roman officials who arrested him and took him to the Antonia Fortress (Acts 21:27-22:29).

Netzer is a renowned scholar, whose work on the Herodian sites of Jericho, Herodium, Caesarea, Jerusalem and elsewhere has led some to dub him “Mr. Herod.” He realized a lifelong dream in 2007 with the discovery of King Herod’s tomb. He has not excavated in the area of the Antonia Fortress because the Muslim authorities forbid any scholarly activity on the Temple Mount.

Leen Ritmeyer, a Temple Mount scholar, yesterday posted a response to Netzer’s article on the Antonia Fortress. Ritmeyer believes that Netzer is mistaken both with regard to the size and shape of the building. As always, Ritmeyer has beautiful and helpful illustrations. The second diagram in his post reveals the existing remains of the fortress (in yellow). The photo below shows the rock scarp and some of the Herodian masonry (on right).

Remains of Antonia Fortress, north side of Temple Mount

Tagged Jerusalem, Temple Mount

Roman Figurine Discovered in Jerusalem

The Israel Antiquities Authority has reported the discovery of an ancient marble figurine. The bearded man may be a Roman boxer and is believed to date to approximately A.D. 200.

The figurine was used as a suspended weight together with a balance scale. This is probably the only find of its kind from excavations in the country.
A figurine (bust) made of marble depicting a miniature image of a bearded man’s head was discovered in the excavations that the Israel Antiquities Authority is conducting in the area of the Givati car park in the City of David, in the Walls around Jerusalem National Park.
According to Dr. Doron Ben-Ami and Yana Tchekhanovets, directors of the excavation at the site on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “The high level of finish on the figurine is extraordinary, while meticulously adhering to the tiniest of details. Its short curly beard, as well as the position of its head which is slightly inclined to the right, are indicative of an obviously Greek influence and show that it should be dated to the time of the emperor Hadrian or shortly thereafter (second-third centuries CE). This is one of the periods when the art of Roman sculpture reached its zenith. The pale yellow shade of the marble alludes to the eastern origin of the raw material from which the image was carved, probably from Asia Minor, although this matter still needs to be checked”.

The rest of the press release is here, and three photos may be downloaded in a zip file. The story is covered by Haaretz and the Associated Press. Reports of previous discoveries in this same excavation may be read here and here and here and here.

HT: Joe Lauer

Tagged Discoveries, Jerusalem

Conference: New Light on the Period of King David

NEW LIGHT ON THE PERIOD OF KING DAVID

In the Fields of Archaeology, Ancient History, and Epigraphy

INVITATION

Ben-Gurion University

‘David’s Victory’ Foundation

ACADEMIC CONFERENCE:

NEW LIGHT ON THE PERIOD OF KING DAVID

In the Fields of Archaeology, Ancient History, and Epigraphy

The conference will take place in the auditorium of the central building in the Industrial Park of Omer (near Beer-Sheva) on Thursday, February 12, 2009.

Program of the Conference:

16:00 – 16:30 Gathering and Light Refreshments

16:30 – 16:40 Greetings and Introductory Remarks:

Mr. Aharon Yadlin, Assistant Chairman of the Executive Board of Ben-Gurion University and
Former Minister of Education and Culture of the State of Israel
Prof. Vladimir Berginer, President of the ‘David’s Victory’ Foundation
Chairman of the Session: Prof. Chaim Cohen, Academic Advisor of the ‘David’s Victory’
Foundation

16:40
– 17:30 Prof. Yosef Garfinkel and Mr. Sa`ar Ganor, The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew
University: “Sha`arayim – A Judaean City from the Time of King David in the Elah Valley”

17:30 – 18:05 Dr. Eilat Mazar, The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University: “The Palace
of David in the City of David”

18:05 – 18:40 Dr. Haggai Misgav, The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University: “The
Ostracon (the New Inscription) from Khirbet Qeiyafa”

18:40 – 19:00 Prof. Vladimir Berginer, President of the ‘David’s Victory’ Foundation: “The ‘David’s
Victory’ Foundation and the Memorial Site Commemorating David’s Victory over Goliath in
the Elah Valley” [including the screening of a new six-minute film]

FREE ADMISSION

Free parking is available alongside the entrance gate to the Industrial Park of Omer, opposite the
Luzzato Building.

The Academic Conferences Organized by the ‘David’s Victory’ Foundation:

2003 – First Academic Conference

2006 – Second Academic Conference

2009 – Third Academic Conference

HT: Agade (via Joe Lauer).

Tagged Jerusalem, Shephelah

Then and Now: Western Wall Plaza

After the Israelis captured the Old City in June 1967, significant attention was given to the development of the Western Wall area. During creation of the large prayer plaza that exists today, the ground level was lowered by about six feet (2 m). Recently when working with the photographs of David Bivin, I came across this photo.

Western Wall, January 1964

With the distinctive crack in the rock visible behind the young man’s legs, I set about finding a recent photo of the same rock. The photo below shows the crack behind the man’s right hand. In 1964, ground level was located at the position of his left hand.

Western Wall, September 2003

Note that he is standing on a chair. This is the best illustration I know of that shows the change in plaza level after 1967.

You can see a photo taken by Amihai Mazar that shows a bulldozer clearing the area in the excellent book by Leen Ritmeyer, The Quest: Revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, page 22.

Some other “Then and Now” photos from the Views That Have Vanished collection are posted here.

Tagged Jerusalem, Temple Mount, Then and Now

Hurva Synagogue Reconstruction

Until 1948, one of the largest and most important Ashkenazi synagogues in the Old City of Jerusalem was the Hurva Synagogue. Fighting in May 1948 left the building in ruins, but following the city’s capture by Israel in 1967, plans were discussed to reconstruct the synagogue. The interested parties could not agree on a solution, and so in 1977 a memorial arch was erected. In 2000, plans were approved to rebuild the synagogue following its original design, and in 2005, work commenced.

Memorial Arch, January 2000

Arch removed, May 2006

Reconstruction underway, May 2008

November 2008 (Photo courtesy of Alexander Schick)

For more about the Hurva Synagogue, see the Wikipedia article or these Google links.

Tagged Jerusalem

Hezekiah’s Tunnel Q&A

The Sept/Oct 2008 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review carried an intriguing article that suggested that workers used sound signals from above in determining direction while carving Hezekiah’s Tunnel. The apparent “consensus” theory that they followed a natural crack always seemed implausible to me, and thus I am interested in learning of other possibilities.

A number of readers sent questions about the article and one of the scientists of the study responds in an online-only article. Questions that he answers include:

How does Hezekiah’s Tunnel compare with the water tunnels of Megiddo and Hazor?
How could sound signals pinpoint direction through more than 100 feet of bedrock?
Did water flow uphill from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam?
How were the workers supplied with oxygen?
Isn’t there really a natural crack that the workers followed?

Ayreh Shimron has some good insights into these and other matters.

Hezekiah’s Tunnel

Tagged Jerusalem