Jerusalem Archives - Page 193 of 199

Western Wall Excavation Report

The Jerusalem Post reports on the finds that we speculated on before (with photos). While they certainly uncovered some new things in the dig, the article does not mention any surprising finds. In short, any archaeologist could have predicted that digging in this place would reveal:

The Valley Cardo (aka Eastern Cardo): the full 35 foot (11 m) width of the street was uncovered.

This same street was uncovered about 150 feet (50 m) to the south.

A ritual bath (mikveh) from the Second Temple period. They have found 150 of these all over the city.

A portion of the Lower Aqueduct which brought water from Solomon’s Pools to the Temple Mount.

Numerous remains of this aqueduct have been found elsewhere, including slightly to the south outside the Old City wall.

An escarpment. The article suggests that this a significant discovery, but scholars have long believed that the natural defenses of the Western Hill made it more difficult for the Romans to capture in 70 A.D. Any casual observer can see the steep drop-off as one approaches the Western Wall from the west. For a while, some believed that the Western Hill must have been fortified on its eastern side in order to explain why it took the Romans a month to conquer the area. But no evidence of a wall has ever been discovered, and Josephus, who describes the city’s fortifications at length, never mentions a wall in this area.

These remains will be preserved under a new building for the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.

This is the same organization that controls access to the tunnel excavations north of the prayer plaza.

Valley Cardo near Dung Gate (south of excavation area)

Tagged Discoveries, Jerusalem

Israel Museum Closure

If you were planning to visit the archaeology wing at the Israel Museum in, oh, the next 2-3 years, you’re going to be disappointed. According to the museum’s website, the wing “is currently closed for comprehensive renewal and will reopen to the public in 2009-2010.” It really is a shame that they cannot renovate a section at a time, so that a portion of the exhibits are open to the public. Or create a temporary exhibit of the most important finds. Until then, the public can visit the lousy Rockefeller Museum (some great finds, but poorly displayed and described), the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv, or the Hecht Museum in Haifa.

Safe prediction: the museum wing will not finished when they say.

Israel Museum from east

Tagged Jerusalem

Temple Mount Ramp Replacement

Dismantling of the western ramp to the Temple Mount is discussed in these articles by Haaretz and YNetNews (discussed previously on this blog here and here; cf. also here). The new information is that the ramp will be a bridge, crossing from the Jewish Quarter on the Western Hill. There’s also the possibility that the earthen mound would be removed but the ramp not replaced at all. The old news is that work will begin on this any day.

Tagged Jerusalem

City of David: Updates for Visitors

From a notice received today from the City of David visitor’s center:

Here are some very important updates for all travel agents, tour guides and trip organizers.

City of David Presentation – from 1.01.07, there will be a charge of NIS 5 per person for entry to the new 3-D presentation at the City of David. You can book a presentation together with a visit to the City of David, for preset times (only by making a definite booking, approved by the booking system). Due to the high demand, cancellation fees will be according to the price of the presentation itself (NIS 5), and the cancellation fees will be charged for any cancellation made within one week of the visit.

Set daily guided tours – please note – we offer daily tours accompanied by a guard (registration in advance, available to individuals). There is a set tour in Hebrew, and a set tour in English, starting daily at 10 a.m. (duration of guided tour about 3 hours).

The Shiloah Pool (Pool of Siloam) and Herodian Street – as of 1.01.07, this site (from the Second Temple era) will become a closed site of the Nature and Parks Authority. All visitors to the City of David will, of course, continue to enjoy this impressive site. The ticket to the City of David will continue to include entry to the Shiloah Pool. Visitors who only want to visit the Shiloah Pool will be able to purchase a ticket at the entrance to the pool, at the foot of the City of David, near the Kidron ravine. Entry fee to the Shiloah Pool and Herodian Street will be NIS 6 per person.

The City of David “Segway” – special trips in an up-to-the-minute, ingeniously designed two-wheeled vehicle. The tour lasts about an hour and a half, along the Armon HaNatziv (Commissioner’s Palace) pr omenades – the eastern Goldman Promenade, the Sherover Promenade, and the Haas Promenade. An impressive and scenic tour, accompanied by an official tour guide, with breathtaking views and an “action” ride in the state-of-the-art vehicle. NIS 150 per person for the trip!

Temporary closure of the Shiloah Tunnel (Hezekiah’s Tunnel) for routine
maintenance – between 14.01.07 and 28.01.07, the Shiloah Tunnel will be closed for two weeks for ongoing maintenance work and restoration of the plaster on the floor of the tunnel.

We will be happy to help you with any clarifications and inquiries –

City of David Booking Center – *6033

At your service

Sincerely

Shahar Shilo

Marketing director, City of David

Tagged Jerusalem

Western Wall Excavations (photos)

About a week ago, there were reports that excavations at the Western Wall prayer plaza had “uncovered the remains of Jewish homes from the Second Temple period as well as a Herodian water conduit.”

In the photo below, you can see the relation between the excavations and the Western Wall. While we were there, the crane moved the white container (middle) from the area at left, suggesting that excavations will be extended in that direction. In fact, you can see the tractor beginning to break up the ground.

In the close-up below, it looks like large hewn slabs (paving stones?) have been removed in order to excavate beneath them.

My guess is that those large paving slabs are part of the Byzantine “Valley Cardo,” which has been discovered to the south.

(Yellow box = present excavations; red box = Byzantine Valley Cardo previously revealed)

Tagged Discoveries, Jerusalem, Temple Mount

Updates: Paul’s Sarcophagus and Western Wall Ramp

Yahoo has a photo that shows the alleged sarcophagus of Paul underneath the altar. Something we didn’t see before:

Filippi said the decision to unearth the sarcophagus was made after pilgrims who came to Rome during the Roman Catholic Church’s 2000 Jubilee year expressed disappointment at finding that the saint’s tomb — buried under layers of plaster and further hidden by an iron grate — could not be visited or touched.

All we need now are some pilgrims who want to see inside the sarcophagus and our questions will be answered.

In Jerusalem, Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch and others are unhappy with the delay in building a new bridge for non-Muslim access to the Temple Mount. The pile of earth likely is not very important archaeologically, but Muslims claim its removal will damage the Al Aqsa Mosque.

The rabbis want the temporary bridge removed because it is cutting into the women’s prayer area at
the Western Wall.

The removal of the earthen embankment will not only allow more of the Western Wall to be seen, but the large lintel stone of Barclay’s Gate will be visible in its entirety for the first time in modern history. This is the second of four monumental entrances to the Temple Mount on the western side.

We’ve commented on the ramp before here and here, and the sarcophagus here. These posts have photos.

Tagged Discoveries, Jerusalem, Temple Mount