Teaching Team
Second Temple Walls Discovered
In a recent archaeological dig which began over a year ago on Mount Zion in the land of Israel a wall dating to the Hasmonean era was discovered. A part of the expanded sourthern city wall, which was part of Jerusalem when it was at its largest, is approximately 2,100 years old.
Also discovered was a Byzantine era wall (342-640 CE) which was built on top of the older Hasmonean wall. The Byzantine wall appears to have been built on top of the Hasmonean era wall after the older was mostly destroyed during the Jewish Revolt between 66-70 CE.
The original wall which measure over 10 feet tall and part of a 3.5 mile-long fortified perimeter was constructed like other Second Temple structures without the use of mortar or the like. The Hasmonean wall predates the various construction projects implemented by King Herod including the Western Wall.
According to Israel National News, "The lines of the wall that delineate Mount Zion from the west and the south were first discovered and excavated at the end of the 19th century (1894-1897) by the Palestine Exploration Fund, under the direction of the archaeologist Frederick Jones Bliss and his assistant, architect Archibald Dickie. For the excavation, the team excavated vertical shafts linked by subterranean tunnels running along the outer face of the city walls."
Israel National News continued by saying, "Among the items discovered in the recent excavation were 'souvenirs' left behind by the British excavators, including one of the laborer's shoes, the top of a gas light which was used to illuminate the tunnels, and fragments of beer and wine bottles from 120 years ago. One of the beer bottle fragments was marked with the word "Jerusalem," and, in addition to the artifacts from the British, a bowl shard was found dating from the 3rd-4th century C.E."
Further information as well as pictures of the excavation from which the information in this blog was taken can be found here.
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Visitor Feedback:
It wasn't a bottle of Goldstar was it? ;)
jay | September 10, 2008 10:18 PM
Brian,
Great article! This is somewhat related, I read it on Israel National News the other day:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/127428
It seems an older muslim document from the Muslim Authority confirms that the Temple Mount belongs to the Jews.
Shalom,
Jeff
Jeff | September 10, 2008 11:41 PM