Jerusalem-Archaeology History Apologetic Proof

Jerusalem
History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture
by Galyn Wiemers
Last Hope Books and Publications

A division of Generation Word Bible Teaching Ministry
Untitled4.indd 1 10/23/10 4:06 PM

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Jerusalem: History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture
Copyright 2010 by Galyn Wiemers. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America by
Signature Book Printing. www.sbpbooks.com
Last Hope Books and Publications
A Division of Generation Word Bible Teaching Ministry
P.O. Box 399
Waukee, Iowa 50263
Visit www.generationword.com
All scripture passages are from the New International Version
Cover design by Clint Hansen
Editing by Tim Vaniman
Photos by Galyn Wiemers and Toni Wiemers
ISBN-13: 978-0-9794382-3-3
ISBN-10: 0-9794382-3-3

Jerusalem History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture
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This book is dedicated to my wife Toni. . .

Toni, I look for you in every photo!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section A Introduction to Jerusalem

Chapter 1 Biblical Jerusalem 1
Chapter 2 History of Jerusalem 17
Chapter 3 Modern Jerusalems Old City 20
Chapter 4 The Modern Walls 23
Chapter 5 The Modern Gates 32
Chapter 6 Archaeology: Periods, People and History 41
Chapter 7 The History of Archaeology in Jerusalem 42

Section B Topography
Chapter 8 Old Ancient Core 45
Chapter 9 Kidron Valley 49
Chapter 10 Central Valley 50
Chapter 11 Hinnom Valley 51
Chapter 12 Mount of Olives 54
Chapter 13 Mount Moriah 56
Chapter 14 Western Hill 57
Chapter 15 Opel 58
Section C Old Testament

Chapter 16 Salem, Jebus, Jerusalem (2000-1000 BC) 59
Chapter 17 The Milo and the Jebusite Wall (2000-1000 BC) 61
Chapter 18 Gihon Springs 66
Chapter 19 City of David (1000 BC) 70
Chapter 20 Davids Palace (990 BC) 72
Chapter 21 Solomons Temple Mount (970 BC) 75
Chapter 22 Solomons Walls 78
Chapter 23 Solomons Quarries 80
Chapter 24 The Broad Wall 83
(721 BC, Assyrian Destruction of North Israel)
Chapter 25 Hezekiahs Tunnel 85
(701 BC, Assyrian Invasion of Judah)
Chapter 26 Middle Gate (586 BC, Babylonian Destruction) 91
Chapter 27 Nehemiahs Wall 92
(445 BC, Exiles Return to Rebuild Temple, City)

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Section D Macabees and Hasmoneans

(167-40 BC, Revolt & Independence)
Chapter 28 Walls and Towers 94
Chapter 29 Aqueduct 97
Chapter 30 Acra 98
Chapter 31 Hasmonean Temple Mount Extension 99
Chapter 32 Tombs in the Kidron 100
Section E New Testament

Chapter 33 Herods Building Projects and Ashlar Stones 104
Chapter 34 Herods Temple Mount 110
Chapter 35 Northeast End of Eastern Temple Mount Wall 114
Chapter 36 Southeast End of Eastern Temple Mount Wall 115
Chapter 37 Western Wall of Temple 119
Chapter 38 Western Wall Tunnels 123
Chapter 39 Mikvah, the Ritual Baths 132
Chapter 40 The Large Mikvah 133
Chapter 41 Wilsons Arch 134
Chapter 42 Warrens Gate 136
Chapter 43 Barclays Gate 137
Chapter 44 Robinsons Arch 138
Chapter 45 Western Wall Street 141
Chapter 46 Western Wall Shops 146
Chapter 47 Southern Wall: Double Gate, Triple Gate, 150
Stair Steps, Single Gate
Chapter 48 Archaeology on the Ophel 161
(Jerusalem Archaeology Park)
Chapter 49 Siloam Road 166
Chapter 50 Siloam Pool 171
Chapter 51 Pool of Bethesda 176
Chapter 52 Church of the Holy Sepulcher 180
Chapter 53 Garden Tomb 198
Chapter 54 Fort Antonia 201
Chapter 55 Phasael Tower 204
Chapter 56 Struthion Pool 205
Chapter 57 Garden of Gethsemane 206
Chapter 58 Tombs in Hinnom 207
Chapter 59 Tombs in Jerusalem 208

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Section F Roman, Muslim and Crusader Periods

Chapter 60 Ecce Homo (Roman) 209
Chapter 61 Roman Inscription 210
Chapter 62 Cardo (Roman) 212
Chapter 63 Roman Road by Western Wall Plaza 214
Eastern Cardo (Roman)
Chapter 64 Nea Church (Byzantine) 215
Chapter 65 Al Aqsa Mosque (Muslim) 219
Chapter 66 Dome of the Rock (Muslim) 221
Chapter 67 Muslim Temple Mount (Muslim) 226
Chapter 68 St. Annes Church (Crusader) 235
Chapter 69 Sultans Pool (Herodian, Roman, Muslim) 238
Chapter 70 Citadel (Hasmonean, Herodian, Roman, 239
Byzantine, Muslim, Crusader, Later Muslim)
Section G
Chapter 71 A Treasure Map 242
Chapter 72 The Future of Jerusalem 248
Bibliography 252

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Jerusalem History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture A.1
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Section A: Introduction to Jerusalem

Chapter One
Biblical Jerusalem
Melchizedek, or Melchi-Zedek, was from the royal line
of the Canaanite or Jebusite priest-kings who ruled
Jerusalem and served God on Mount Moriah.
Later in Genesis 22:2 Abraham would return to Mount

Moriah just north of Jerusalem to offer his son Isaac as
a sacrifice to God. God told Abraham:
Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you

love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him
there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I
will tell you about. - Genesis 22:2
This same place, Mount Moriah, was identified in

2 Chronicles 3:1 as the plot of ground that David
purchased with his own money from Araunah the
Jebusite. It was also identified as the place Solomon
would build the temple.
In 2000 BC Jerusalem and Mount Moriah were the

center of worship of the God Most High (El-Elyon),
since this was the residence of his priest-king
The city David took from the Jebusites in 1005 BC was Melchizedek and the place to which God had led
about 10 acres in size with a population of about 2,000. Abraham for worship.
Jerusalem in 1000 BC When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan
in 1405 BC, one of Melchizedeks descendents, a man
The first mention of Jerusalem in the Bible is found in named Adoni-Zedek, was still ruling in Jerusalem:
Genesis 14:18 in the account of Abrams encounter
with Melchizedek, the king of Salem (that is, Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that
Jerusalem): Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing
to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and
After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made
and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom a treaty of peace with Israel and were living near
came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that them. He and his people were very much alarmed
is, the Kings Valley) (probably where the Kidron at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like
and Hinnom Valleys meet). Then Melchizedek king one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all
of Salem (Jerusalem) brought out bread and wine. its men were good fighters. So Adoni-Zedek king
He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron,
Abram, saying, Blessed be Abram by God Most Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and
High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed Debir king of Eglon: Come up and help me attack
be God Most High, who delivered your enemies Gibeon, he said, because it has made peace with
into your hand. Then Abram gave him a tenth of Joshua and the Israelites.
everything. - Genesis 14:17-20 - Joshua 10:1-5

Introduction to Jerusalem
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Later in Joshua 12:10, Adoni-Zedek the king of David called Jerusalem (also called Jebus, Salem, etc.)
Jerusalem, is found on a list of 31 kings from the land the City of David after he took it from the Jebusites.
of Canaan who were killed by Joshua. After Joshuas The hill on which the city was built and the hill just
death (Judges 1:1-2) the men of Judah attacked and north of it (Mount Moriah) together became known as
destroyed Jerusalem, but it appears they did not Zion.
occupy it at that time. This led to the resettling and
fortification of Jerusalem by the Jebusites. David then took up residence in the fortress, and
so it was called the City of David. He built up the
The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem also and city around it, from the supporting terraces (literally
took it. They put the city to the sword and set it - Millo) to the surrounding wall, while Joab
on fire. - Judges 1:8 restored the rest of the city. And David became
more and more powerful, because the Lord
Almighty was with him. - 1 Chronicles 11:7-9
Even though the king of Jerusalem was killed in battle
against Joshua, and the men of Judah destroyed
Jerusalem in the following generation, the Israelites The Millo is part of the City of Davidbuilt by the
did not conqueror and occupy the fortress city of Jebusites before David conquered it. The Millo consists
Jerusalem for another 400 years. of the terraces and retaining walls on the eastern
slope of the southeastern spur that supported the
By that time the city of Jerusalem had become a buildings above. Kathleen Kenyon has uncovered part
stronghold for the Jebusites. The natural layout of the of this Stepped Stone Structure, and Eilat Mazar has
land made Jerusalem an easy location to fortify. With excavated what is now known as the Large Stone
the steep Kidron Valley on the east and the Central Structure that sat on the Millo.
Valley and Hinnom Valley on the west joining the
Kidron Valley in the south, the city was naturally and The Bible describes Davids construction work in his
easily defended against attacks from the east, south newly occupied city:
and west. Any approach to attack the city had to come
over the top of Mount Moriah and run straight into And he built the city all around from the Millo in a
the northern wall. Thus, the greatest fortifications, the complete circuit. - 1 Chronicles 11:8; 2 Samuel 5:9
strongest walls and the largest number of armed men
would be positioned in the northern part of the city. This
David built his House of Cedar, or royal palace, on the
is why the Jebusites mocked David when he came out
Millo (2 Samuel 5:11). The Tower of David was also
to attack them:
built there (Song of Solomon 4:4), as was the house of
the mighty men (Nehemiah 3:16).
The king and his men marched to Jerusalem
to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The
David then extended the citys walls and fortress to the
Jebusites said to David, You will not get in
north of the eastern hill of the City of David up onto
here; even the blind and the lame can ward you
the Ophel toward Mount Moriah, or the Temple Mount.
off. They thought, David cannot get in here.
To do this David had to break down a portion of the
Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion,
northern wall. This breach was repaired by Solomon
the City of David. - 2 Samuel 5:6-7
once construction was complete:
The text goes on to tell how David took the city from Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the breach
the Jebusites despite the natural defenses created by of the city of David his father. - 1 Kings 11:27
the steep valleys and the heavily fortified northern wall:
The walls that Solomon built to close up the breach
On that day, David said, Anyone who conquers
created by Davids building projects have been
the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft
uncovered and are detailed in this book. Solomon also
to reach those lame and blind who are Davids
began construction on Mount Moriah in preparation for
enemies. - 2 Samuel 5:8 (1 Chronicles 11:4-9)
building the Temple.

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The difference in price recorded in 2 Samuel and 1
Chronicles is because the verses in 2 Samuel record
the price of the threshing floor and the oxen (fifty
shekels of silver) while the verse in 1 Chronicles
records the price for the entire site where the threshing
floor was located (600 shekels of gold). David
purchased what we would today call the Temple Mount
for 600 shekels of gold. Davids descendents have
never sold what David purchased that day.
The hill just north of the City of David was used as a

threshing floor by the Jebusites, but it had also been
associated with local worship for many years:
Melchizedek, the King of Salem and Priest of God
most High, would have worshipped on Mount
Moriah in 2000 BC (Genesis 14)
Abraham offered Isaac on Mount Moriah around
1950 BC (Genesis 22)
Even in Abrahams day this site (the future site of
the Jewish Temple Mount) was called the Lord
provides (Genesis 22:14)
Then around 980 BC, David rebuilt the altar of

Abraham on the same spot (2 Samuel 24:18-20)
Above is Solomon's city in 940 BC after he included
and designed the plans for the Temple and the
22 more acres to the north of the City of David. The
Temple Mount that Solomon would later construct in
population was about 5,000 at this time.
approximately 960 BC (2 Samuel 7).
Solomon spent seven years building the Temple.

Jerusalem in 940 BC Solomons palace was built just south of the Temple
Mount on the Ophel. The palace project took 13 years
The Temple Mount is identified as Mount Moriah in 2 and included the entire palace precinct the House
Chronicles: of Pharaohs Daughter, the throne room, the Hall of
Columns and the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
Then Solomon began to build the temple of the Solomon also built up the City of David and its
Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the fortifications. Part of the city wall that Solomon built has
Lord had appeared to his father David. It was on been discovered and was excavated in 2010.
the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the
place provided by David. - 2 Chronicles 3:1
David purchased Mount Moriah, from Araunah the

Jebusite:
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen

and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. David
built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt
offerings and fellowship offerings. - 2 Samuel
24:24-25
So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold

for the site. - 1 Chronicles 21:25

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invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and
the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones.
- 2 Chronicles 26:9, 15
Jotham (750-735 BC)
He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord

and did much building on the wall of Ophel.
- 2 Chronicles 27:3
Hezekiah (715-686 BC)
In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he

opened the doors of the house of the Lord and
repaired them. - 2 Chronicles 29:3
Hezekiah also built a wall around the western part of

the city. This was the first time the Western Hill had
ever been fortified.
Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of

Gihon and directed them down to the west side of
Hezekiah's city expanded to the west over the Central the city of David. - 2 Chronicles 32:30
Valley on up to the Western Hill. The total area of the
walled city was about 125 acres with an estimated Isaiah records Hezekiahs efforts to prepare the city for
population of 25,000. the Assyrian invasion:
In that day you looked to the weapons of the

Jerusalem in 701 BC House of the Forest, and you saw that the
breaches of the city of David were many. You
The kings that followed David and Solomon continued collected the waters of the lower pool, and you
new construction in the City of David, the Ophel counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke
and the Temple Mount. They also expanded the city down the houses to fortify the wall. You made a
westward. The biblical chronicles of the kings record reservoir between the two walls for the water of the
that on several occasions they undertook major old pool. - Isaiah 22:8-11
restoration projects.
This wall is also mentioned in Nehemiah 3:8 and
Joash (835-796 BC)
12:38. It was built of stones from houses that were torn
down to get the rock and other material. It is called
Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord. . . the Broad Wall because it is 21 feet wide. A 210-foot
. they hired masons, and carpenters to restore the section of this wall has been discovered.
house of the Lord, and also workers in iron and
bronze to repair the house of the Lord. So those Manasseh (697-642 BC) When Manasseh returned
who were engaged in the work labored, and the from his Assyrian imprisonment in Babylon:
repairing went forward in their hands, and they
restored the house of God to its proper condition He built an outer wall for the city of David west of
and strengthened it. - 2 Chronicles 24:4, 12-13 Gihon, in the valley, and for the entrance into the
Fish Gate, and carried it around Ophel, and raised
it to a very great height. - 2 Chronicles 33:4
Uzziah (792-740 BC)
Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Manasseh added a wall east of the City of David to
Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the Angle, and protect the homes outside the city walls that had been
fortified them. . . In Jerusalem he made engines, built on the slopes of the Kidron Valley.

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Josiah (640-609 BC) the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo.
They finished building the temple according to the
They gave it (money) to the workmen who were command of the God of Israel and the decrees
working in the house of the Lord. And the workmen of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.
who were working in the house of the Lord gave it The temple was completed on the third day of the
for repairing and restoring the house. They gave it month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King
to the carpenters and the builders to buy quarried Darius. -Ezra 6:13-15
stone, and timber for binders and beams for the
buildings that the kings of Judah had let go to ruin.
In 445 BC Nehemiah, a royal official serving the
- 2 Chronicles 34:10-11 Persian emperor, came to Jerusalem to rebuild the city
walls. The details of Nehemiahs nighttime inspection
of the city and its walls are recorded in the second
After the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586
chapter of Nehemiah:
BC, the people who were left in the area of Samaria
and Judah continued to bring offerings to the destroyed
I set out during the night with a few men. I had not
Temple Mount:
told anyone what my God had put in my heart to
do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me
Eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and
except the one I was riding on. By night I went out
Samaria, with their beards shaved and their clothes
through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and
torn, and their bodies gashed, bringing grain
the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem,
offerings and incense to present at the temple of
which had been broken down, and its gates, which
the Lord.
had been destroyed by fire. Then I moved on
- Jeremiah 41:5 toward the Fountain Gate and the Kings Pool, but
there was not enough room for my mount to get
through; so I went up the valley by night, examining
In 538 Cyrus, the Persian King, gave orders to rebuild
the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered
the temple:
through the Valley Gate. The officials did not know
where I had gone or what I was doing, because
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to
as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests
fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the
or nobles or officials or any others who would be
Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to
doing the work. Then I said to them, You see the
make a proclamation throughout his realm and to
trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its
put it in writing:
gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us
This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer
be in disgrace. Nehemiah 2:13-17
The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the
kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me
to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.
Anyone of his people among you may his God be
with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah
and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel,
the God who is in Jerusalem. - Ezra 1:1-3
The rebuilding of the temple came to a standstill in

520 BC due to opposition from Israels neighbors and
political enemies. The city was resettled in these times
of poverty and oppression, but the city walls and the
temple remained in ruins. The rebuilding of the temple
was finally completed in 516 BC:
Then, because of the decree King Darius had

sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and
Shethar-Bozenai and their associates carried it out
with diligence. So the elders of the Jews continued
to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai

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BC when Alexander the Great entered Jerusalem.
The Jewish high priest, Jaddua, met Alexander
outside the city walls and showed him the scroll of the
prophecy of Daniel which foretold the coming of the
four-winged leopard and the goat from the west. Both
of these identified Alexander as the next conqueror
of the Middle East. Alexander and the Greeks then
worshipped in Jerusalem. Alexander promised the
Jews their city and told them their Temple would never
be defiled by the Greeks.
The promise was good for 160 years until 172 BC

when the Grecian king of Syria, the Seleucid king
Antiochus Epiphanies, executed the righteous Jewish
high priest Onias III and replaced him with wicked
men such as Jason and Menelaus who plundered
the temple. In 168 BC Antiochus attacked Jerusalem,
burning and looting homes then selling the women
and children into slavery. There were 22,000 Syrian
soldiers stationed in the Akra, a fortress built on the
Ophel south of the Temple Mount looking north over
the Temple courts and activities. The temple was
plundered and desecrated, and on December 25, 168
BC, Antiochus set up an altar to Zeus to replace the
When approximately 4,500 exiles returned from
Jewish altar of burnt offering.
Babylon, they occupied an area of about 30 acres. The
gates are identified in Nehemiah 12:31-40.
It was at this time that the Maccabees revolted against
the Syrian invaders, and during the next four years
The wall of Jerusalem was completed by Nehemiah
war filled the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
and the citizens of the city in 445 BC. The dedication
By 164 BC Judas Maccabeus had regained control of
ceremony is recorded in Nehemiah:
Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, but Syrian soldiers
maintained control of the stronghold next to the Temple
I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall.
Mount called the Akra. They would remain in control of
I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks.
this stronghold until Judass brother Simon drove out
One was to proceed (out of the Valley Gate
all Syrian troops 22 years later in 142 BC. By this time
on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung
the Maccabees had established their rule, and Israel
Gate ...Ezra the scribe led the procession. At the
was recognized as an independent Jewish state by the
Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps
rising power of Rome. Simon Maccabeus was given
of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and
the title of high priest, general, and king for the Jewish
passed above the house of David to the Water
state. This act established the Hasmonean Dynasty.
Gate on the east. The second choir proceeded in
(The title Hasmonean comes from the name Hasmon,
the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the
one of the ancestors of the priestly family of Judas and
wall, together with half the people past the Tower
Simon Maccabeus.)
of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of
Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the
The Hasmoneans ruled until the Roman general
Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred,
Pompey entered Jerusalem in 63 BC amid civil war
as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard
between two Hasmonean brothers and their political
(Prison Gate, Inspectors Gate) they stopped. The
parties, the Pharisees and the Saducees. The
two choirs that gave thanks then took their places
Hasmonean government continued to deteriorate until
in the house of God; so did I, together with half the
47 BC when Julius Caesar appointed Antipater, Herod
officials, as well as the priests.
the Greats father, to be the manager of Caesars
- Nehemiah 12:31-40
affairs in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and Galilee.
Rule by the Persian Empire that Nehemiah had Antipater immediately began rebuilding the walls of
served under was replaced by Grecian rule in 332 Jerusalem that had been damaged during the previous

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123 years of fighting. After Antipater was poisoned in the rooms, arches and colonnades around the Temple
43 BC (a year after Julius Caesar was assassinated in on the Temple Mount. Additional work on the Temple
Rome), his son Herod was appointed by Marc Antony Mount complex continued into the days of Jesus, so
as the ruler of Judea. that the Jews could accurately say to Jesus in 27 AD:
Although it took Herod until 37 BC to fight his way It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and
into Jerusalem and take possession of the throne, you are going to raise it in three days? - John 2:20
he loved the city and its architecture. The days of
Herods rule (the Herodian Age) began the greatest
In fact, work on the Temple Mount did not stop until
period of construction Jerusalem had ever seen. His
the reign of Herod the Greats grandson, Herod
projects in Jerusalem included paved streets with
Agrippa II, in 64 AD, two years before the Jewish revolt
underground sewers, the palace complex in the citadel
against Rome began. (Many of the pavement stones
with luxury apartments in the towers called Phasael
seen in the photos in this book were laid between 64
and Mariamne, fountains, baths, Fort Antonia, a Greek
and 66 AD when Agrippa II used the then recently
theater and the Hippodrome. He also continued work
unemployed Temple laborers to repave the city streets
on the city walls. Herod greatly expanded the size
of Jerusalem.) This was the revolt that would drive the
of the Temple Mount and also remodeled the
Romans to level the Temple in 70 AD in fulfillment of
Temple itself.
Jesus prophecy made in 30 AD:
Do you see all these things? ...I tell you the truth,
not one stone here will be left on another; every
one will be thrown down. - Matthew 24:2
Jerusalem at the time of Jesus was about 230 acres

with a population of around 40,000. Notice the site of
the crucifixion was outside the city walls in 30 AD. By
41 AD Herod Agrippa II had expanded the walls to the
northwest.
Jerusalem in 30 AD
By the time of the first Jewish revolt in 66 AD and
Herod and the priests rebuilt the temple in a year and a the Roman destruction of the city, Jerusalem had
half beginning in 19 BC. It was more than 15 stories tall a population of 80,000 inside walls that enclosed
and was built with white stones that were 37 feet long approximately 450 acres.
and 12 feet high. They spent another eight years on

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Jerusalem in 70 AD them with the customary opening phrase, I and the
army are well, because the army was not well. Rome
In 41 AD Herod Agrippa II extended the city walls to the had lost the entire Twenty-second Legion (Legio XXII
north to include the residential quarter of the growing Deiotariana). Here is Cassius Dios account of the Bar-
city. It was during the years 41-44 AD that the site of Kokhba Revolt from the Roman point of view:
Jesus crucifixion and burial were surrounded with
walls and brought within city limits. Yet, even though At first the Romans took no account of them. Soon,
residential construction was happening throughout this however, all Judea had been stirred up, and the Jews
area no construction took place on the site of Jesus everywhere were showing signs of disturbance, were
crucifixion and burial until the days of Emperor Hadrian gathering together, and giving evidence of great
in 135 AD. hostility to the Romans, partly by secret and partly by
overt acts; many outside nations, too, were joining
The Jews began a revolt against the Roman Empire them through eagerness for gain, and the whole earth,
in 66 AD by retaking Jerusalem, but this resulted in one might almost say, was being stirred up over the
the Roman siege of Jerusalem beginning in April of matter. Then, indeed, Hadrian sent against them his
70 AD. It ended with the burning of the Temple on best generals. First of these was Julius Severus, who
August 10, 70 AD. The Tenth Roman Legion (Legio X was dispatched from Britain, where he was governor,
Fretensis, in Latin) was stationed in Jerusalem for the against the Jews. Severus did not venture to attack
next 200 years, occupying the western side of the city his opponents in the open at any one point, in view of
and the citadel. Titus returned to Rome with the Golden their numbers and their desperation, but by intercepting
Candle Stand from the Temple and other Temple small groups, thanks to the number of his soldiers
treasures, including trumpets. This is attested to by and his under-officers, and by depriving them of food
the still-standing Arch of Titus in Rome that depicts and shutting them up, he was able, rather slowly, to
Tituss triumphant return to Rome after the destruction be sure, but with comparatively little danger, to crush,
and plundering of Jerusalem. It is clear the Temple exhaust and exterminate them. Very few of them in
treasures followed Titus and his legions back to Rome fact survived. Fifty of their most important outposts
in 70 AD. and nine hundred and eighty-five of their most famous
villages were razed to the ground. Five hundred and
The Christians who had fled Jerusalem in 66 AD eighty thousand men were slain in the various raids
when they saw the approaching Roman armies (as and battles, and the number of those that perished by
advised by Jesus in Luke 21:20-22) began returning to famine, disease and fire was past finding out. Thus
Jerusalem in 73 AD and honored the location of Jesus nearly the whole of Judea was made desolate, a result
death, burial and resurrection. of which the people had had forewarning before the
war. For the tomb of Solomon, which the Jews regard
Between 70 and 130 AD the Jewish presence in as an object of veneration, fell to pieces of itself and
the city of Jerusalem also grew and began to thrive collapsed, and many wolves and hyenas rushed
again until they organized a second revolt against the howling into their cities. Many Romans, moreover,
Romans in 132 AD. In that year the Jews drove the perished in this war. Therefore Hadrian in writing to the
Romans out of Jerusalem and began a temporarily senate did not employ the opening phrase commonly
successful attempt to rebuild the temple. Coins were affected by the emperors, "If you and our children are
minted by the Jews and struck with the image of the in health, it is well; I and the legions are in health."
rebuilt temple. These coins are also inscribed with the (Cassiius Dio, Roman History 69.13-69.14)
dates of the first, second or third year of this second
Jewish revolt (called the Bar-Kokhba Revolt). The
Jewish rebels controlled Judea and even re-struck
Roman coins, inscribing on them: For the Freedom of
Jerusalem.
After a three-year war Emperor Hadrian defeated

the Jews again in 135 AD. According to the Roman
historian Cassius Dio, who wrote around 200 AD, the
Jews lost 985 of their villages when they were burned
out of existence. The loss and cost for the Romans
was also severe. When Hadrian reported his victory
over Jerusalem to the Roman Senate he did not greet

9
decision may have been the final factor in causing
the Bar-Kokhba Revolt. Or the Bar-Kokhba Revolt
may have been the final factor in causing Hadrians
decision. The history of this event is not clear, but
either way, Hadrian won the war, and Jerusalem was
converted into a Roman city with the status of Roman
colony. Aelia refers to the clan name of Hadrians
family: Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus. Capitolina
refers to the Capitoline Triad of supreme deities in
Roman religion who were worshipped on Romes
Capitoline Hill: Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Hadrian
also renamed the land of Judea after the ancient
enemies of Israel in the Old Testament, the Philistines.
Judea became known as Palestine, or the land of the
Philistines, and Jews were forbidden by Roman decree
from entering Jerusalem except once a year on the
date of the Temples destruction. Interestingly, the date
of the Roman destruction of the Temple in 70 AD was
exactly the same as the Babylonian destruction of the
Temple in 586 BC.
Hadrians projects in the city of Aelia Capitolina

included building a temple to Jupiter on the Temple
Hadrian renamed Jerusalem "Aelia Capitolina" after Mount right on top of the destroyed Jewish Temple.
the Jew's second revolt against Rome in 130-135, He hoped that the presence of a temple to a Roman
and rebuilt it as a Roman city. Jews were forbidden god on the site would stamp out any Jewish hope of
entrance into the city except once a year to mourn their recovering and rebuilding their city. A statue of Hadrian
fallen Temple. was also placed on the Temple Mount. Hadrians
successor, Antoninus Pius, placed a statue of himself
there as well. A broken piece of this statues inscription
Jerusalem after 135 AD
can still be seen today in the southern Temple Mount
wall above the Double Gate.
Emperor Hadrian decided to turn Jerusalem into a
Roman city and called it Aelia Capitolina. Hadrians

10
The location of Jesus death, burial and resurrection called the cardo, ran north to south. The place where
was also covered up by Hadrian when he built a they intersected would include the market. In Aelia
retaining wall over the site. He used fallen Herodian Capitolina the decumanus ran from the Three Towers
ashlar stones from the Jewish Temple Mount to build (Phasael, by todays Jaffa Gate) straight to the Temple
the wall, and filled in the area with soil to form a Mount where it turned north before it continued east
platform upon which he erected a statue to Jupiter and out the Lions, or Stephens, Gate. The cardo, or
a temple to Venus. the north-south road, ran from the main north gate
(Damascus Gate today) to Mount Zion in the south.
Roman towns were laid out with two main roads This cardo with its pavement, street, curb, sidewalk,
crossing in the center. One road, called the pillars and storefronts can still be seen today.
decumanus, ran east to west and a second road,
The Roman Tenth Legion had been stationed in

Jerusalem since 70 AD. They spent 65 years camped
on the western hill near the Jaffa gate and the
Citadel. A Roman pillar still stands in that area with
an inscription left by the Tenth Legion. Archaeological
evidence indicates that after the Bar Kokhba Revolt
they may have moved to or extended their camp to
include the Temple Mount.

11
In 313 Constantine declared Christianity a legal to do this in another place than the metropolis
religion with the Edict of Milan. Then in 324, he united out of which they had been cast, he gave them
the eastern half of the Roman Empire with his western public money, commanded them to rebuild the
half, and Christianity became the dominant religion in temple, and to practice the cult similar to that of
Jerusalem until the Muslims conquered it in 638. their ancestors, by sacrificing after the ancient way.
The Jews entered upon the undertaking, without
Constantine created a new capital for the Roman reflecting that, according to the prediction of the
Empire, moving it from Rome to the city of Byzantium holy prophets, it could not be accomplished. They
on the coast of northwest Asia Minor at the crossroads sought for the most skillful artisans, collected
of Europe and the East. This newly united and materials, cleared the ground, and entered so
Christianized Roman Empire, which ruled Jerusalem earnestly upon the task, that even the women
until the Muslim conquest in 638, is known today as the carried heaps of earth, and brought their necklaces
Byzantine Empire. Constantine called his new Roman and other female ornaments towards defraying
capitol city Constantinople. Many of the treasures of the expense. The emperor, the other pagans, and
Rome were moved to Constantinople, or modern day all the Jews, regarded every other undertaking
Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey. as secondary in importance to this. Although the
pagans were not well-disposed towards the Jews,
Many churches were built in the city of Jerusalem at yet they assisted them in this enterprise, because
this time, including the Church of the Holy Sepulcher they reckoned upon its ultimate success, and
which commemorates the location of Jesus death hoped by this means to falsify the prophecies of
on Calvary and his resurrection from the tomb in the Christ. Besides this motive, the Jews themselves
nearby garden. Although the empire officially converted were impelled by the consideration that the time
from paganism to Christianity, the Byzantine Empire had arrived for rebuilding their temple. When they
maintained an anti-Jewish position and did not allow had removed the ruins of the former building, they
Jews to enter Jerusalem except on the ninth day of dug up the ground and cleared away its foundation;
the Hebrew month of Av (Tisha BAv), the date for it is said that on the following day when they were
both the Babylonian (586 BC) and the Roman (70 AD) about to lay the first foundation, a great earthquake
destructions of the Jewish Temple. The Temple Mount occurred, and by the violent agitation of the earth,
continued to be neglected and was left in ruins to fulfill stones were thrown up from the depths, by which
Jesus words: those of the Jews who were engaged in the work
were wounded, as likewise those who were merely
Your house is left to you desolate. - Matthew 23:38 looking on. The houses and public porticos, near
the site of the temple, in which they had diverted
There was a brief interruption of the Christian
themselves, were suddenly thrown down; many
dominance in Jerusalem in 361 when the last sole
were caught thereby, some perished immediately,
survivor of Constantine, his nephew Julian, began to
others were found half dead and mutilated of
rule. Julian was known as the Apostate, and because
hands or legs, others were injured in other parts
he despised Christianity he annulled the anti-Jewish
of the body. When God caused the earthquake to
decrees and gave the Jews permission to rebuild their
cease, the workmen who survived again returned
Temple.
to their task, partly because such was the edict
of the emperor, and partly because they were
The Jews began work with financial support from the
themselves interested in the undertaking. Men
Byzantine Empire as well as from Jews scattered in
often, in endeavoring to gratify their own passions,
other lands who believed that Julian had been sent by
seek what is injurious to them, reject what would
God. The Jews dug up the foundations of the previous
be truly advantageous, and are deluded by the
temple and began to rebuild in 362. However, natural
idea that nothing is really useful except what is
events such as earthquakes and a fire on the Temple
agreeable to them. When once led astray by this
Mount, as well as the death of Julian in 363 in a battle
error, they are no longer able to act in a manner
against the Persians, brought an end to the attempt to
conducive to their own interests, or to take warning
rebuild the Temple and resume sacrifices after only a
by the calamities which are visited upon them.
few months. Salaman Hermias Sozomen, the church
historian from Gaza wrote about these events in 440:
The Jews, I believe, were just in this state; for,
On their (Jews) replying (to Julians order to build
instead of regarding this unexpected earthquake
the Temple) that because the temple in Jerusalem
as a manifest indication that God was opposed to
was overturned, it was neither lawful nor ancestral
the re-erection of their temple, they proceeded to

12
recommence the work. But all parties relate, that history and scripture which were obviously influenced
they had scarcely returned to the undertaking, by what the local residents (the Byzantine tour guides
when fire burst suddenly from the foundations of and religious leaders in Jerusalem) told him. Still, it is
the temple, and consumed several of the workmen. what it is and it is what he sawa very rare recording
of a firsthand eyewitness description of Jerusalem
This fact is fearlessly stated, and believed by
during the reign of Constantine at the beginning of the
all; the only discrepancy in the narrative is that
Byzantine Empire. As such, it is priceless. (Note that
some maintain that flame burst from the interior
my comments are in parenthesis and are not italicized.
of the temple, as the workmen were striving to
The writing of the Bordeaux Pilgrim is in italic. The
force an entrance, while others say that the fire
map below attempts to follow his description through
proceeded directly from the earth. In whichever
the city.)
way the phenomenon might have occurred, it
is equally wonderful. A more tangible and still
There are in Jerusalem two large pools at the side
more extraordinary prodigy ensued; suddenly
of the Temple, that is, one upon the right hand, and
the sign of the cross appeared spontaneously
one upon the left, which were made by Solomon;
on the garments of the persons engaged in the
(Outside the NE corner of Temple Mount would
undertaking. These crosses were disposed like
be the Pool of Israel. Outside the NW corner of
stars, and appeared the work of art. Many were
Temple Mount would be the cisterns or pools found
hence led to confess that Christ is God, and that
in todays Western Wall tunnels.) and further in the
the rebuilding of the temple was not pleasing to
city are twin pools with five porticoes, which are
Him; others presented themselves in the church,
called Bethsaida. (Bethsesda, John 5:2-18) There
were initiated, and besought Christ, with hymns
persons who have been sick for many years are
and supplications, to pardon their transgression.
cured; the pools contain water which is red when
If any one does not feel disposed to believe my
it is disturbed. There is also here a crypt (This
narrative, let him go and be convinced by those
refers to a cave, or underground chamber; this
who heard the facts I have related from the
cave is under the Dome of the Rock today and
eyewitnesses of them, for they are still alive. Let
is undoubtedly connected to the network of 45
him inquire, also, of the Jews and pagans who left
other cisterns, chambers, tunnels and caves that
the work in an incomplete state, or who, to speak
exist under the Temple Mount. It may also provide
more accurately, were unable to commence it.
access to the legendary Well of Souls.) in which
Solomon used to torture devils. (At this time King
After his death, Julian was replaced by Emperor Jovian Solomon, due to his wisdom and the legends of the
who reestablished Christianity as the religion of the Jews, was known as a great magician and fighter
Roman, or Byzantine, Empire. of demons. Jars believed to have been used by
Solomon to hold demons were displayed in the
The temple to Jupiter that had been built by Hadrian Church of the Holy Sepulcher.)
and the statues of Hadrian and Antoninus may have
been removed by the Christians of the Byzantine
Empire between 324 and 361, or they may have Here is also the corner of an exceeding high
been removed by the Jews during Julians reign tower, (SE corner of the Temple Mount) where our
from 361-363. Lord ascended and the tempter said to Him, If
thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from
A Christian pilgrim who traveled to Jerusalem in hence. And the Lord answered, Thou shall not
the year 333 from Bordeaux in southwest France tempt the Lord thy God, but him only shall thou
gives us a few interesting details about Jerusalem serve. (Matthew 4:1-11) There is a great corner-
and the Temple Mount during the reign of Emperor stone, of which it was said, The stone which
Constantine. Below is what the Bordeaux Pilgrim wrote the builders rejected is become the head of the
in 333 concerning what he saw in Jerusalem. Keep in corner. (Matthew 21:42; Ps 118:22) Under the
mind that this is what he understood based on what he pinnacle of the tower are many rooms, and here
saw and what these locations were called at that time. was Solomon's palace. (Herod had built Solomon's
His descriptions include his understanding of theology, Colonnade on the south side of the Temple Mount.)

13
Covenant.) to which the Jews come every year and
anoint it, bewail themselves with groans, rend their
garments, and so depart. There also is the house
of Hezekiah King of Judah. Also as you come
out of Jerusalem to go up Mount Sion, (i.e., after
leaving the Temple Mount and heading south out of
the city on the main road, the Cardo Maximus) on
the left hand, below in the valley, beside the wall, is
a pool which is called Siloe (Pool of Siloam, John
9:1-11) and has four porticoes; (The four porches
refer to Hadrians reconstruction in 135 AD. The
Church of Siloam, was built in 450 AD, and its pillar
bases can still be seen today in the water when
exiting Hezekiahs Tunnel.) and there is another
large pool outside it. This spring runs for six days
and nights, but on the seventh day, which is the
Sabbath, it does not run at all, either by day or by
night. (This pool called Siloe, or Siloam, was still
being fed water from the Gihon Springs on the east
side through Hezekiahs Tunnel. The flow of water
from the Gihon Springs has always been known for
gushing water intermittently. In fact, gihon means
to gush forth. The people of this time did not know
of Hezekiahs Tunnel. In fact, Josephus himself
This is Jerusalem from the time of the Bordeaux always calls Siloam a spring of water indicating that
Pilgrim's visit from Gaul in 333 until the Muslim invasion the Jews of 70 AD had forgotten about Hezekiahs
of 638. The Bordeaux Pilgrim's written account of his Tunnel even though it continued to supply water
visit is traced with the dotted line beginning on the east to the Pool of Siloam.) On this side one goes up
side, just outside the Temple Mount. Sion, (walking outside the city walls around the
Westside along the Hinnom Valley and up Mount
There also is the chamber in which he sat and Zion) and sees where the house of Caiaphas the
wrote the (Book of) Wisdom; (This chamber was priest was, (just outside todays walls and part of
called Solomons Stables by the Crusaders and the extended Armenian Quarter, Matthew 26:57-
still is today.) this chamber is covered with a single 68) and there still stands a column against which
stone. There are also large subterranean reservoirs Christ was beaten with rods. (Matthew 26:67-68
for water and pools constructed with great labor. records spitting, striking and slapping at the High
And in the building itself, where stood the temple Priests Palace, but no rods.) Within, however,
which Solomon built, they say that the blood of inside the wall of Sion, is seen the place where
Zacharias (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51) which was was David's palace. (This is the Citadel which was
shed upon the stone pavement before the altar the fortress of the Macabees, the palace of Herod,
remains to this day. There are also to be seen and the camp of the Tenth Roman Legion. Today
the marks of the nails in the shoes of the soldiers this Citadel and its remains are just inside the city
who slew him, throughout the whole enclosure, walls by the Jaffa Gate.) Of seven synagogues
so plain that you would think they were impressed which once were there, one alone remains; the rest
upon wax. There are two statues of Hadrian, are ploughed over and sown upon, as said Isaiah
(One of Hadrian and the other of Antoninus Pius. the prophet. (Isa 1:2.4-8; Micah 3:9-12)
The inscription stone of Antoninus statue can
still be seen today in the Southern Temple Mount
Wall above the Double Gate) and not far from From thence as you go out of the wall of Sion,
the statues there is a perforated stone (This is as you walk towards the gate of Neapolis, (This
the bedrock of Mt. Moriah where the Ark of the would be in the location of todays Damascus
Covenant sat in the Most Holy Place in the Temple Gate and was the grand new, or nea entrance to
of Solomon. This perforation, or carved out and the Cardo.) towards the right, below in the valley,
leveled depression, can be seen inside the Dome (Kidron Valley) are walls, where was the house
of the Rock and is the same size as the Ark of the or praetorium of Pontius Pilate. (Fort Antonia,

14
Matthew 27:11-31) Here our Lord was tried before and John with Him, and Moses and Elias were
His passion. (by Pontius Pilate.) On the left hand beheld. (This event occurred in Caesarea Philippi,
is the little hill of Golgotha where the Lord was in Matthew 17:1-8, not here on the Mount of Olives
crucified. (As the Pilgrim walked up the Cardo as the Bordeaux Pilgrim believed).
towards the Neapolis Gate, the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher was on his left, and the remains
Christianity dominated in Jerusalem under the control
of Fort Antonia further on his right, Matthew
of the Byzantine Empire until 614 when the Persians
27:33-37) About a stone's throw from thence is a
attacked Jerusalem. The Jews, who had been kept out
vault wherein His body was laid, and rose again
of the city by Roman and Byzantine decrees for 479
on the third day. (The tomb and Calvary were in
years, joined with the attacking Persians against the
the same garden in the gospels and are located
Christians. For the next three years, 614-617, the Jews
in the same Church of the Holy Sepulcher both
again had access to the city of Jerusalem now under
today and in 333 AD, Matthew 27:57-60; 28:1-
Persian control. The Jews joined with the Persians in
10) There, at present, by the command of the
destroying churches including the Nea Church. The
Emperor Constantine, has been built a basilica,
Jews would have had access to the Temple Mount
that is to say, a church of wondrous beauty, having
and may have begun some form of building program.
at the side reservoirs (Cisterns were cut into the
We do know from recorded history that they began
abandoned quarry. The remains of cisterns are
sacrificing again on the Temple Mount. This three-year
found in the lower parts of the Church of the Holy
period came to an end when the Persians returned the
Sepulcher.) from which water is raised, (Holes in
rule of Jerusalem to the Christians and the Byzantine
the arched ceiling were used to lower buckets on
Empire, most likely for political reasons. With this
ropes from the homes above and can still be seen
Persian betrayal in 617, the Jews were once again
in the ceilings of these cisterns today.) and a bath
forbidden from living in or entering the city.
behind in which infants are washed. (i.e., baptized).
In 622 Muhammad, the founder of a new religion, fled
Mecca for Medina where the dispersed Jews rejected
Also as one goes from Jerusalem to the gate which
his new teaching. Muhammad began to kill Jews and
is to the eastward (the Golden Gate) in order to
raid Meccas caravans. When Muhammad died in 632
ascend the Mount of Olives, is the valley called
he ruled most of the Arabian Peninsula. Muhammads
that of Josaphat. (Kidron Valley) Towards the left,
followers, the Muslims, continued to spread their
where are vineyards, is a stone at the place where
religion through war to North Africa and the Old
Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ; (Gethsemane,
Babylonian Empire. In 634 Muslims began to invade
Mount of Olives, Matthew 26,36-50) on the right
the Byzantine Empire, and after a nine-month siege of
is a palm-tree, branches of which the children
the Christians in Jerusalem, they took the city in 638
carried off and strewed in the way when Christ
under the leadership of Caliph Omar. Once again the
came. (Matthew 31:8) Not far from thence, about a
Jews assisted the Muslims in conquering Jerusalem
stone's-throw, are two notable tombs of wondrous
and were given permission to return.
beauty; (There are tombs in the Kidron known
today as the tombs of Absolom and Zechariah,
The years 660-750 AD are known as the Umayyad
but they cannot be theirs since they were built in
period. The Dome of the Rock was completed by
a Greek style with Egyptian and Syrian influence
Caliph Abd Al-Malik in 691, and the al-Aqsa Mosque
probably around 100 BC-30 AD.) in the one, which
was completed by Caliph al-Walid in 701. Jews were
is a true monolith, lies Isaiah the prophet, and
in charge of sanitation on the Temple Mount until 717.
in the other Hezekiah, King of the Jews. (These
During this time, a Muslim historian, al-Muqaddasi
tombs can still be seen today, but, although the
(946-1000), wrote that Jerusalem was mostly filled
identification was believed to be true at the time of
with Jews and Christians and was lacking educated
the Pilgrim, it was not accurate.)
Muslims. In those days non-Muslims and even Jews
were active on the Temple Mount.
From thence you ascend to the Mount of Olives,
Over the next 1300 years at least ten different empires
where before the Passion, the Lord taught His
or dynasties would rule in Jerusalem until the British
disciples. (Matthew 24-25) There by the orders of
defeat of the Ottoman Empire during World War I in
Constantine a basilica of wondrous beauty has
December of 1917.
been built. Not far from thence is the little hill which
the Lord ascended to pray, when he took Peter

15
In 750 AD the Abbasid Period began. The Jews were simply marched to the Holy Sepulcher, took a crown
allowed into the city, and they even helped guard the from the altar there and placed it on his head. However,
Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. any hope of a long Crusader rule ended in 1244 when
the Ayyubids from Cairo recaptured Jerusalem.
In 969 the Fatimids of Egypt took control of Jerusalem
and the Jews were again oppressed. The sixth ruling In 1250 the Mamluks, sultans from Egypt, took
caliph of the Fatimid dynasty, Al-Hakim, began ruling at power and maintained it until 1516. By that time over
the age of eleven in 996. Al-Hakim started destroying 300 rabbis from Europe had immigrated back to
churches and ordered the random persecution and Jerusalem along with notable rabbis Maimonides and
execution of Christians in 1001. Easter was outlawed in Nachmandides, and poet/philosopher Judah Halevi.
1004. Al-Hakim ordered the destruction of the Church Yet, Jerusalem was without walls during the entire
of the Holy Sepulcher on October 18, 1009. The church Mamluk reign until they were built in 1537-1541.
was demolished down to the bedrock. In 1042 Al-
Hakims successor granted permission to the Byzantine The 1400s brought new Jewish immigration from Spain
Emperor Constantine IX to begin reconstruction of the and Italy. As a result of the growing Jewish population
Holy Sepulcher. in Jerusalem, there was a dispute between the Jews
and Christians over the Tomb of David on Mt. Zion. The
In 1073 the Seljuks took control, and the persecution of Catholic Church responded by issuing a papal decree
Christians and Jews continued. in 1428 prohibiting sea captains form transporting any
more Jews back to Israel.
The Crusaders, with orders from Pope Urban II and
under the military leadership of Godfrey de Bouillon, In 1517 the Ottomans peacefully took over Jerusalem
took Jerusalem in 1099 by slaughtering 70,000 Jews and began making improvements in the city. In order
and Muslims on July 15, 1099. The Crusaders then to prevent invasions from marauding Bedouin tribes
prohibited the Jews from living in Jerusalem. Baldwin and to deter King Charles V from considering another
I was named King of Jerusalem. The Dome of the Crusade against Jerusalem, Suleiman the Magnificent
Rock was re-consecrated by the Christian Crusaders began to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that same year.
as the Temple Domini (Temple of the Lord) and the Finally in 1541 the walls of Jerusalem were complete,
Al-Aksa Mosque was renamed the Temple Salomonis and the city, which had been unprotected since 1219,
(Temple of Solomon). The period of the Crusaders was again enclosed. These are the walls we see today.
lasted from 1099 to 1187.
By 1700 there were only about 7,000 Jews left in
In 1187 Saladin retook the city from the Crusaders and Jerusalem, but Rabbi Yehuda HeHassid arrived and
the Ayyubid period began (1187-1229). The Jewish began building the Hurva Synagogue.
community in Jerusalem once again grew. The Dome
of the Rock and Al Aksa Mosque were restored to The Jews built the first modern Jewish settlement
Islam, and the walls were overlaid with marble bearing outside the walls of Jerusalem in 1860, and by 1866
Arabic inscriptions. Five years later in 1192 Richard the Jews were the majority in Jerusalem. In 1898 the
Lionheart failed to take Jerusalem for the Crusaders founder of the World Zionist Organization, Dr. Theodor
but Saladin did grant Christians permission to worship Herzl, visited Jerusalem.
in Jerusalem.
By 1917, World War I and the British army brought an
Sultan Malik-al-Muattam destroyed Jerusalems city end to Ottoman rule, and Jerusalem was peacefully
walls in 1219. They were to remain in ruins until Sultan handed over to British general Allenby. This peaceful
Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilt them in 1537. transfer allowed the walls of Suleiman the Magnificent
to remain standing. The British Mandate gave Britain
Frederick II gained control of Jerusalem for the jurisdiction in Jerusalem until May 14, 1948 when the
Crusaders in 1229 during the Sixth Crusade without a State of Israel was proclaimed and Israel was declared
fight due to internal strife in the Ayyubid dynasty. He to be an independent state under the rule of the Jews.

16
Jerusalem in 635 AD
The walls built by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the

Great in 1537 still stand today. Notice that Mount Zion
and the City of David to the south are outside the walls.
This can be confusing to people today because the
original city of Jerusalem that David conquered is not
inside the walls of todays Old City of Jerusalem.

17
Chapter 2
History of Jerusalem
CHALCOLITHIC PERIOD (4500-3300 BC) IRON AGE (1200-539 BC)
3500 BC - Jerusalem is first settled on the Ophel 1000 BC - David takes Jerusalem from the
above the Gihon Spring Jebusites
960 BC - Solomon builds the first Temple
BRONZE AGE (3300-1200 BC) 712 BC - Hezekiah cuts a tunnel through
2000 BC - Abraham meets with the Melchizedek, bedrock under the City of David from the Gihon
the king of Jerusalem, which is called Salem at Spring to the Pool of Siloam
that time 586 BC - Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians
1800 BC - Jerusalem is mentioned in Egyptian destroy Jerusalem and the Temple; Jews are
Texts and called Rasalimum taken captive to Babylon
1400 BC - Joshua kills Adoni-zedek, the
Jebusite king of Jerusalem but does not capture PERSIAN AGE (539-332 BC)
the city of Jerusalem, which is also called Jebus 537 BC - Cyrus the Persian allows Jews to return
1400 BC - Jerusalem appears in diplomatic to rebuild Jerusalem
correspondences called the Amarna Letters as 516 BC The second Temple, or Zerubbabel's
Urusalim Temple, is completed
445 BC - Nehemiah rebuilds the walls
HELLENISTIC PERIOD (332-141 BC)

332 BC - Alexander the Great and the Greeks
get control of Israel from the Persians and take
Jerusalem peacefully
320 BC - Ptolemy I captures Jerusalem and the
Egyptian rule of Jerusalem begins
198 BC - Seleucids from Syria capture Jerusalem
and the Syrian rule of Jerusalem begins
168 BC - Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrates the
Temple in Jerusalem and the Maccabean revolt
soon begins
164 BC - Judas Maccabeus recaptures
Jerusalem
Figure 1 - The Royal Archives of Tel al-Amarna, Egypt, contained 350

letters written in cuneiform script. This clay tablet is one of six letters
written to Egyptian kings by the ruler of Jerusalem shortly after 1400
BC. Jerusalem is called Urusalim in these Amarna Letters. Joshua
had recently killed a king of Jerusalem (Joshua 12:7-10). The city
name Urusalim means foundation of Shalem. The deitys name,
Shalem, means complete, prosperous, and peaceful as seen
in the text of Hebrews 7:2, king of Salem means king of peace.
The original tablet is preserved in the Vorderasiatisches Museum in
Berlin. Recently (June 2010) Eilat Mazar found a clay fragment from
this same time period in the area of the Ophel in Jerusalem written
in the same cuneiform on Jerusalem clay by a royal scribe. This find
confirms Egypts opinion of Jerusalem, as portrayed in the Amarna
Letters, as a major city centuries before it was conquered by David.

18
HASMONEAN PERIOD (141-37 BC) 701 - Al-Aqsa Mosue is completed by Caliph al-
141 BC - Simon Maccabeus (Judas's brother) Walid
establishes Judea as an independent state 750 - Abassid dynasty begins and continues until 974
141 BC - The Maccabee family, called 878 - The Tulunids take the city
Hasmoneans, begin to rule as kings in Jerusalem 904 - The Abassids retake the city
939 - The Ikhshidid take the city
HERODIAN PERIOD (37 BC - 70 AD) 969 - The Fatimids take the city under General
63 BC - Roman General Pompey captures Gawhar Al-Siqilli
Jerusalem for Rome 1009 - The Egyptian caliph al-Hakim destroys the
40 BC - Herod the Great is appointed king in Church of the Holy Sepulcher and has the tomb
Jerusalem by Rome of Jesus crushed down to the remaining bedrock;
18 BC - Herod begins rebuilding the Temple the burial bench is spared simply because it was
10 BC - Temple is dedicated, but construction covered with rubble
continues until 63 AD 1010 - Synagogues and churches in Jerusalem
66 AD - Jewish revolt against Rome begins are destroyed by Caliph al-Hakim
1077 - Seljuk Turks conquer Jerusalem
ROMAN PERIOD (70-324) 1096 - Pope Urban calls for a crusade to take
70 AD - Jerusalem falls to the Romans; the city back the Holy Land
and Temple are destroyed
132 - Second Jewish revolt against Rome CRUSADER PERIOD (1099-1187)
beginsBar Kokhba takes Jerusalem from Rome 1099 - Godfrey of Bouillon captures Jerusalem
135 - Roman Emperor Hadrian puts down the for the Christians; Baldwin I is named King of
second Jewish revolt and rebuilds the city, calling Jerusalem; a great slaughter of Jews and Muslims
it Aelia Capitolina. A pagan temple for Jupiter by the Christians follows the capture of the city
(Zeus) was built on the Temple Mount and Jews
were forbidden to enter the city AYYUBID PERIOD (1187-1250)
1187 - General Saladin takes Jerusalem from the
BYZANTINE PERIOD (324-638) Crusaders; Jews and Muslims return and settle in
326 - Constantine's mother, Helena, visits the city
Jerusalem and establishes the Christian holy 1192 - Crusaders fail to take Jerusalem but the
sites; many churches are built Muslim General Saladin allows Christians to
335 - Church of the Holy Sepulcher is built worship at their holy sites
361 - Emperor Julian the Apostate allows the 1212 - Three hundred rabbis from England and
Jews to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding France settle in Jerusalem
the Temple 1219 - Sultan Malilk-al-Muattam razes the city
438 - Jews are allowed to live in Jerusalem walls
614 - Persians conquer Jerusalem under General 1229 - Crusaders briefly recapture Jerusalem
Shahrbaraz; churches are destroyed, including the twice
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is burnt; the 1244 - Crusader era ends when Khawarizmian
Jews driven out of Jerusalem in 617 Turks capture Jerusalem
629 - The Byzantine Empire (Christian)
recaptures Jerusalem from the Persians under MAMLUK PERIOD (1250-1516)
Emperor Heraclius 1250 - A Muslim caliph dismantles the walls of
Jerusalem
FIRST MUSLIM PERIOD (638-1099) 1260 - Mameluks of Egypt capture Jerusalem
638 - The Muslim Caliph Omar, or Umar, (a caliph 1347 - Mamelukes capture Jerusalem a second
is a political leader of Islam), takes Jerusalem time
from the Byzantine Empire six years after
Mohammed's death OTTOMAN PERIOD (1517-1917)
661 - Umayyad dynasty begins and continues 1517 - Ottomans (Sultan Selim) peacefully take
until 750 over Jerusalem
691 - Dome of the Rock completed by Caliph Abd 1537 - Sultan Suleiman "the Magnificent" rebuilds
al-Malilk the city walls which had been in ruins since 1219

19
1541 - Jerusalem's Eastern or Golden Gate is the partition of Israel
sealed to prevent the entrance of the Jewish 1948 - British Mandate and control of Jerusalem
Messiah ends and the State of Israel begins
1542 - Damascus gate built 1948 - Israel War of Liberation; Jewish Quarter in
1700 - Rabbi Yehuda He'Hassid arrives in Old City falls
Jerusalem and begins building the "Hurva" 1949 - Jerusalem is divided in the Israel-
Synagogue TransJordan Armistice Agreement; Jerusalem
1705 - Restrictions imposed on the Jews in is divided between two countries; Jerusalem is
Jerusalem declared the capital of Israel
1831 - Sultan Mehemet Ali of Egypt conquers the 1967 - Jerusalem reunited when the Old City is
city captured; Jordan fires shells and mortars to begin
1838 - First British consulate is opened in the Six Day War which results in Israeli troops
Jerusalem capturing the Old City
1840 - The Ottoman Turks retake the city 2009 There were 774,000 people living in
1844 - Census shows 7,120 Jews, 5,760 Muslims, Jerusalem in 2009 compared to 84,000 who lived
3,390 Christians in Jerusalem in 1948. In 1967 there were 66,000
1860 - First Jewish settlement outside the walls of Palestinians residing in East Jerusalem and a
the city few hundred Jews. By 2006 there were 229,004
Muslims, 181,457 Jews and 13,638 Christians
1898 - World Zionist Organization founder, Dr.
living in East Jerusalem (Total people in East
Theodor Herzl, visits Jerusalem; Dr. Herzl meets
Jerusalem in 2006 was 424,000). According to
German Kaiser Wilhelm outside the city walls
recent statistics a woman in Jerusalem, both Arab
or Jewish, will have four children. The education
MODERN PERIOD (1917-present) system in Jerusalem serves 250,000 students.
1917 - British take Jerusalem from the Ottoman 64% of these students study in the Hebrew
Empire, and General Allenby enters the city education schools and 35% study in the Arab
1947 - United Nations Resolution recommending schools.
Summary
2000 BC - 1400 BC Canaanites, Jebusites
1400 BC - 70 AD Israelites
Joshua and Judges 1400-1005 BC
David and Davidic Kings 1005-586 BC
Babylon 586-539 BC
Persian 539-332 BC
Greek 332-164 BC
Hasmonean 164-63 BC
Roman 63 B 70 AD
70 AD - 325 AD Romans (Pagan)
326 - 638 Romans (Byzantine-Christian)
638 - 1099 Muslims
Umayyad 660-750
Abbasid 750-969
Fatimid 969-1073
Seljuks 1073-1099
1099 - 1187 Crusaders (Christian)
1187 - 1917 Muslims
Ayyubid 1187-1250
Mamluk 1250-1516
Ottoman 1516-1917
1917 - 1948 British
1948 - present Israelites

20
Chapter 3
Modern Jerusalems Old City
The Christian Quarter is the most visited quarter of
the Old City because it includes the site of Jesus
death, burial and resurrectionthe Church of the Holy
Sepulcher. This quarter is cluttered with a seemingly
endless cluster of churches and holy sites whose roofs,
domes and facades are built so close together that
they are undistinguishable. The streets are filled with
narrow storefronts leading into shops that continue in
long narrow paths to the back. The market streets are
noisy with modern pilgrims and shopkeepers trying to
lure them into their stores.
Jewish Quarter
The Old City and its walls, quarters, streets and

sites today.
Christian Quarter A view of the Jewish Quarters new buildings and

landscaping that sits above the excavated Cardo Street
of the ancient Romans.
The Jewish Quarter is a thriving modern community

with more than 1,000 families. It has been rebuilt out
of the rubble that was left from Jordanian occupation
of the area from 1948 until the Six Day War of
1967. Since the destruction was severe, the Jews
who returned to the Old City in 1967 excavated
the quarters archaeological remains first and then
built their city over, around and beside the ancient
discoveries.
Today there are numerous synagogues and schools

for Jewish studies, along with contemporary shops
and restaurants up and down the streets. The ancient
Roman Cardo Street (135 AD) with its old Byzantine
A view of the Christian Quarter from the roof of the
bazaar (325 AD) has been preserved and is filled with
Petra Hotel.
trendy new businesses that sell a wide variety of items,
including original art work by local artists.

21
Muslim Quarter Armenian Quarter
The Bazaar on El-Wad Street just inside the Damascus An Armenian woman hand paints the ceramics created
Gate, which can be seen in the background at the end in her father's local shop.
of the street.
The nation of Armenia was the first to declare itself a
The Muslim Quarter is the largest and most populated Christian nation. They did this in 301, even before the
of the four quarters in the Old City. Developed by days of Constantine, when the Armenian area was
Herod the Great, organized by the Christian Byzantine established on Mount Zion. Armenians had been living
Empire, and then occupied by the Christian Crusaders, in Jerusalem since 95 BC. Right before the Crusader
even this section is full of Churches and Christian period (1099-1187 AD) began, the Armenian Quarter
shrines. The main streets, El-Wad (which leads to the started to develop. It reached its current size during
Damascus Gate) and Via Dolorosa (which runs from the Ottoman period (1517-1917). Today the Armenian
the Lions Gate to intersect El-Wad), are bazaars with quarter covers about one-sixth of the Old City.
Muslim shopkeepers ready to sell the Christian Pilgrim Although the Armenians are one of the smallest ethnic
a plastic crucifix or olive wood nativity set. groups in the city they are proud of their 1700 year-
old Christian heritage and are friendly, hospitable and
When Jesus walked through these streets to his fluent in English.
crucifixion they were busy even then and would have
been filled with shops. Closer to the Temple Mount (or
as the Muslims call it the Hara mesh-Sharif, meaning
The Noble Sanctuary), buildings from the Mamelukes
reconstruction of the city from 1250 to 1516 can be
seen. This area today preserves some of the fine
medieval Islamic architecture.
A street in the Old City early in the morning.

22
The village of Silwan on the east side of the Kidron Valley as seen from the west side in the City of David.
Silwan
Silwan is an Arab village of about 45,000 people that the Gihon Springs where King Solomons gardens
sits south and southeast of the Old City on the City of once were. Silwan is built on top of the necropolis, or
David and to the east of the City of David across the a cemetery, from the days of the Old Testament. The
Kidron Valley. The name of the village, Silwan, is the ancient tombs are used as cisterns, basements, or
Arabic form of the Greek word siloam which is from living quarters by the Arabs in Silwan today.
the Hebrew shiloah. It occupies the fertile land near

23
Chapter 4
The Modern Walls
Jerusalem's current walls were built under the orders but the architects failed to include Mount Zion or the
of Suleiman the Magnificent between the years 1537 City of David. As a result, Suleiman had the architects
and 1541. Some portions were built over the ancient beheaded. There are eight gates in the city walls today:
walls from 2,000 years ago. The walls were built to Jaffa Gate, New Gate, Damascus Gate, Herod Gate,
prevent invasions from local tribes and to discourage Lions Gate, Golden (Eastern) Gate, Dung Gate and
another crusade by Christians from Europe. They even Zion Gate. The Old City is divided into four quarters:
withstood artillery fire during the war of 1948. The walls Armenian, Jewish, Muslim and Christian. The enclosed
of the Old City are 40 feet high and 3.8 km or 2.36 area is called "The Old City. The modern city of
miles around. The Ottoman Turkish sultan had wanted Jerusalem is much larger and includes a wider variety
the walls to enclose the southern City of David also, of business and residential areas than the Old City.
The Golden Gate in the east wall of the Old City.

24
The two graves of Suleimans architects who failed to

include Mount Zion and the old City of David within the
walls. Suleiman decapitated the men and buried them
just inside the Jaffa Gate.
This is the inside view of the window in the wall above.

Notice it is narrow on the outside to hinder incoming
arrows, but wide on the inside to allow the archer to
shoot from a wider range of angles at the enemy below
on the outside of the wall.
The second architect of the city walls executed by

Suleiman. They lost their lives but Suleiman honored
their work by burying them inside the Jaffa Gate.
Arrows and bullets were fired from these loopholes, or The archer's view from the inside looking down into
arrow loops, which are narrow vertical windows in the the Kidron Valley with the Mount of Olives in the
wall. background.

25
between the supports (corbels) where hot oil, boiling
water or stones could be poured or dropped through
the floor down onto the invading troops below. The
use of animal fat and oil was very dangerous for the
defenders to use because it could reach 400 degrees
F. The oil would not be boiled since the smoking point
of oil (the temperature at which the oil begins to break
down) is lower than its boiling point. This means it
would start smoking before it started to boil. This would
make it difficult to reach the boiling point since the
smoke would be extremely irritating to the eyes and
throats of those who were heating it as a defensive
weapon. Josephus records the use of this technique in
the following account:
They (Romans) began already to get upon the wall.

Then did Josephus take necessity for his counselor in
this utmost distress, and gave orders to pour scalding
oil upon those whose shields protected them ...they
(Jews) brought being a great quantity also, and poured
it on all sides upon the Romans, and they threw down
their vessels as they were still hissing from the heat of
A machicolation, typical of castles and fortifications of the fire: this so burnt the Romans, that it dispersed that
the Middle Ages, where hot oil or rocks were dropped united band, who now tumbled down from the wall with
on the invading enemy below. horrid pains, for the oil did easily run down the whole
body from head to foot, under their entire armor, and
One of the features of medieval warfare was the fed upon their flesh like flame itself.
machicolationa porch in the wall with openings -Josephus, The Great Roman-Jewish War, III.7.27-28
The West Wall of the Old City
This is the west wall of the Old City by Jaffa Gate. Jaffa Gate is on the right side of
the photo with an opening into the "L" shaped entry just around the corner to the left.

26
Details of archaeological finds visible along the west

wall of the Old City from the Citadel to the southwest
corner.
This is a Turkish, or Ottoman, Tower built by Suleiman.

Notice the outcropping of the bedrock under the tower.
The walls had to be built on solid bedrock and in many
places this bedrock can be seen above the service of
the ground. Each period that built or rebuilt the walls
tended to follow the same wall line on the bedrock.
Suleiman's wall from 1535 AD is built along the same Herod the Great's palace would have stood on the
line as the Hasmonean (Maccabees) wall from 160 other side of this wall inside the city. Jesus would have
BC, which was reinforced in the same location by been brought here for his trial before Herod Antipas in
Herod in 20 BC. 30 AD.

27
This is part of the Herodian wall built in 20 BC.
Herodian stones mark a west gate entrance into

Herod's city by his palace from 20 BC. The top step
of a wide staircase can be seen in the middle of the
photo. The steps can be seen when viewed from the
other direction. West Jerusalem and the beautiful
modern King David Hotel is visible in the distance on
the other side of the Hinnom Valley.
Looking south along the west wall of the Old City from
the Citadel. The Hinnom Valley is on the right.
Looking north along the west wall of the Old City which
continues northward (but goes out of view for a bit
on the left). Two courses of Hasmonean or Herodian
stones still sit on the scarp of rock that projects from
the bedrock.

28
The North Wall of the Old City
The north wall near the Damascus Gate. There are three gates in the north wall: New Gate, Damascus Gate
and Herods Gate.

29
The East Wall of the Old City
The east wall of the Old City contains the Golden Gate that very gate when he enters Jerusalem. The Muslim
and the Lions Gate. This particular gate is the Golden graves were put here because this is where they believe
Gate. The Temple Mount sits on the other side of this the resurrection will take place and where the judgment
gate and this wall faces the Kidron Valley and the of mankind will occur. Jewish graves are also located
Mount of Olives. The Golden Gate was sealed by the in this area on the other side of the Kidron Valley on
Muslims in order to discourage the Jews hope for the the Mount of Olives since they also believe the final
return of their Messiah, who is supposed to walk through judgment will be executed here by their Messiah.
The South Wall of the Old City
This is the south wall of the Old City looking east. The south wall has two gates: Zion Gate and Dung Gate.

30
This is the southeast corner of the Nea Church (2) with

the south wall of the Old City built over the top of its
previous remains.
The Herodian Aqueduct (1) on the south wall.
These are Herodian residences (3) along the outside of

todays south wall of the Old City.
The Herodian Aqueduct (1) flows to the east of the

above photo.
This is a medieval tower (5) along the

south wall of the Old City just west of
the Mikvah past the aqueduct.

31
These Mikvahs (6), or ritual baths, are from the time of the Second Temple and were built by Herod.
A medieval tower (7) sits by the south wall of the Old called the Tanners Postern Gate because the cattle
City with the Byzantine paving stones still visible. The market was located on the inside and provided cow
Dung Gate is to the right (east) of this photo. hides for the tanneries outside. The Byzantine street
A medieval tower sits just west of the Dung Gate, pavement can still be seen. It extends under the wall
east of the mikvah on the south wall. There is a gate and continues down to the Pool of Siloam.

32
Chapter 5
The Modern Gates
Suleimans original walls had six gates: Damascus
Gate, Herods Gate, Stephens Gate, Dung Gate, Zion
Gate and Jappa Gate. The gates were all designed
and built to have an L-shaped entry instead of a
straight line of entry. Taking this sharp ninety degree
turn would have slowed down an invading army in
the final moments of a siege. The L turns have been
removed from Stephens Gate and the Dung Gate to
better facilitate modern traffic but can still be seen in
the other four gates.
Jaffa Gate
This road runs right beside the Jaffa Gate, (which sits
directly to the left of the road).
The present name of this gate is the Jaffa Gate since

it leads to the port of the city of Jaffa (which is also
known as Joppa, so it is sometimes called the Joppa
Gate). It was originally called Bab el-Khalil, or the
Gate of the Friend, since it opens towards Hebron
which is where Abraham, the friend of God, came from.
In the photo above, the Jaffa Gate is on the left and the
Citadel on the right.
The wall south of Jaffa Gate (in between the gate and
the Citadel) was removed in 1898 by the Ottoman
sultan Abdul Hamid II to allow his ally Kaiser Wilhelm
II of Germany to ride into the city in his carriage. The
moat, which was located where the road is now, was
also filled in at that time. The sultan did this to give the
Kaiser the impression that he was entering Jerusalem
through the Jaffa Gate when really he was not, since
there is a legend that says all conquerors will enter
through the Jaffa Gate. In 1917, the British General
Edmund Allenby entered through the Jaffa Gate on foot
and gave a speech on the steps of the Citadel.
The Jaffa Gate was the focus of Israeli forces in 1948

as they tried to capture the Old City in order to unite
it with Israeli-controlled western Jerusalem. However,
the Jews did not gain control of it until 1967. Between
A local resident is selling bread from his cart by the 1948 and 1967 the Jordanians could not use this gate
L-shaped Jaffa Gate entrance. for traffic so they had to widen the Dung Gate to get
access the Old City and its Citadel.

33
Zion Gate
Bullet damage from the fight between Arabs and Israeli
forces for the Jewish Quarter during the war in 1948
can still be seen in the Zion Gate. The Zion Gate and
the Jaffa Gate were closed from 1948 to 1967 when
the Jordanians (Arabs) maintained control of the Old
City. They closed the gates because they faced West
Jerusalem, which was controlled by Israel.
A group of Israeli soldiers huddle inside the Zion Gate.
The Zion Gate sits on Mount Zion. The Arabic name

is Bab Nabi Daud, or the Gate of the Prophet David
because the Crusaders and other early Christians The scars from artillery fire in 1948 still mark the Zion
misidentified the location of Davids tomb. David was Gate.
not buried on Mount Zion, but in the City of David,
probably on the Ophel outside the northern walls of the
city at that time:
Then David rested with his fathers and was buried

in the City of David. - 2 Kings 2:10
The tomb of David was still in Jerusalem in 30 AD

when Peter addressed a crowd of Jews and said:

Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the
patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb
is here to this day. - Acts 2:29

34
Dung Gate
The pointed arch at the top of the Dung Gate above

the lintel indicates that it was originally designed
as a postern gate, which is a secondary gate in a
fortification, often concealed so the citys occupants
could secretly escape the city or deploy troops against
besiegers. This gate was widened in 1953 by the
occupying Jordanians so that vehicles could get into
the Old City, since the Jaffa Gate and Zion Gate were
under siege and closed. At one point in the citys
history the cattle market was located inside the Dung
Gate, and this may be how the gate got its name.
Golden Gate
The Golden Gate was built around 640-705 AD by the

last Byzantine ruler, or possibly the first of the Muslim
rulers. This gate was sealed in the 700s to prevent
Jewish zealots from creating and promoting a messiah-
like political figure to rally around. The Crusaders
kept the gate blocked, but twice each year they would
unblock and open it for Palm Sunday in the spring and
for a fall festival called Exaltation of the Cross. This
gate has not been unblocked since the Crusaders lost
control of Jerusalem.
The view looking into the Dung Gate toward the Western Wall entrance. This gate was widened in 1953 by the
Jordanians in order to move traffic in and out of the Old City. The arch at the top of the gate shows the original
width of the gate that was originally used for pedestrians.
The Golden Gate in the Eastern Wall.

35
Arab graves fill the space in front of the entire length of apparently had never been fully documented. (BAR,
the eastern wall. Jan./Feb. 1983, p30)
Behind the black metal fence setting in front of the Very soon after this discovery the Muslims covered
Golden Gate and underneath recently poured concrete the chamber, cemented over the top, and surrounded
is the now-inaccessible Herodian gate. Photos of the mass grave with a protective iron fence. Sadly, this
this 2000-year-old gate (and its Herodian ashlars in means it is unlikely that Israeli archaeologists will be
the arch) were taken in 1969 by James Flemming, able to excavate the gate under the Golden Gate in the
a student from the American Institute of Holy Land near future. In contrast visitors to the Damascus Gate
Studies in Jerusalem (now called Jerusalem University are now able to visit an ancient, restored old Roman
College). Lambert Dolphin records James Flemings gate beneath the present Damascus Gate (the present
experience and discovery in these words: upper Damascus Gate was reconstructed in 1537-38).
In the year 1969 Jerusalem archaeologist James Josephus states (Wars V, 184-189) that the Eastern
Fleming was investigating the Eastern wall of the temple enclosure wall was the only one not rebuilt by
Temple where a Muslim cemetery has long been Herod the Great. The ancient gate beneath the Golden
located. It had rained heavily the night before and Gate may therefore date from Solomonic times or
the ground remained soggy the next day. As he at least from the time of Nehemiah. Such a view of
investigated the area immediately in front of the consistent with Asher Kaufman's view that the First
Golden Gate, the ground beneath his feet gave way and Second Temples were located 110 meters North of
and he dropped into a hole about eight feet deep. the Dome of the Rock in the immediate vicinity of the
Fleming found himself "knee-deep in bones" and small Dome of the Tablets shrine on the main temple
became suddenly aware he had fallen into a mass platform. (by Lambert Dolphin at
burial site. To him, the most amazing aspect of this http://www.templemount.org/visittemp.html)
incident was his clear view of five large wedge- (Two different photos of the ancient gate below the
shaped stones set into a massive arch. It appeared present Golden Gate taken by James Fleming after he
he had discovered an ancient gate under the present had fallen in the grave in front of the Golden Gate in
Golden Gate: "Then I noticed with astonishment 1969 may be seen online at these two locations:
that on the eastern face of the turret wall, directly http://members.bibarch.org/image.asp?PubID=BSBA&
beneath the Golden Gate itself, were five wedge- Volume=34&Issue=02&ImageID=01621&SourcePage=
shaped stones neatly set in a massive arch spanning publication.asp&UserID=0& and
the turret wall. Here were the remains of an earlier http://www.welcometohosanna.com/JERUSALEM_
gate to Jerusalem, below the Golden Gate, one that TOUR/jerusalempics/goldenbelow.gif)
The Golden Gate as viewed from the Mount of Olives looking over the Kidron Valley.

36
Todays Eastern Gate is also known as the Golden At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the
Gate, because it was associated with the Beautiful top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged
Gate on the Temple Mount mentioned in scripture. him out of the city and began to stone him.
When Jerome translated the Greek New Testament Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the
into Latin beginning in 386 AD, he translated the Greek feet of a young man named Saul. - Acts 7:57
word oraia (beautiful) into Latin using the Latin word
aurea, which means golden. Thus, the Eastern Gate,
An earlier tradition associates the north side of the city
which was associated with the Temple and prophecy,
as the place of Stephens stoning.
came into our English language known as the Golden
Gate instead of the Beautiful Gate.
It was also named The Jordan Valley Gate (Bab el-
Ghor) by Suleiman.
Lions Gate (St. Stephens Gate)
Details of one pair of lions on the top right side of the

Lions Gate from 1537.
There are two animals on each side of the gate that

have been called lions, but may actually be leopards
or panthers. These were the emblem of the Mamluk
sultan the Ottoman Empire who was defeated in 1517,
twenty years before the walls and gates were built.
Even though the lion is a symbol of Jerusalem and
Judah, it is also possible that these lions were placed
here to honor the Mameluk Sultan Baibars (1123-1277).
Baibars defeated the Crusaders, conquered the Middle
East and was known as The Lion of Egypt and Syria.
The Lions Gate in the east wall of the Old City.
Originally, the Lions Gate was an L-shaped gate that

required a person to enter and turn left. The back wall
of the gate was removed by the British in order to
allow traffic to enter the Old City. The original arch and
remaining part of the gate can still be seen to the left
inside the gate.
We know that the location of this gate has not changed

from the time of Herod, so it may be where Jesus
entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. It may also be the
same gate that Stephen was taken out of to be stoned
in the Kidron Valley as seen in Acts chapter seven:
A closer view of one of the four lions at the Lions Gate.

37
Herods Gate
Herod's Gate, or the Flower Gate, sits in the north wall

of the Old City.
Although it was called the Flowered Gate (Bab ez-

Zahr) because of the flower on the tower wall above
it, Christians in the 1500s believed they had located
A section of the original L-shaped gate bears the
Herod Antipas palace just inside this gate. The building
inscription above the entrance on the south side. This
was actually a Mamluk house, and Herods palace was
Arabic inscription credits the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman
in the Citadel on the west wall of the city just south of
the Magnificent, who reigned from 1520-1566, with
the Jaffa Gate. The opening we see today was actually
having built the walls and the gates around Jerusalem.
cut into the front of the gate in 1875 by the Ottoman
The inscription also names Suleimans father Salim
Empire. Originally the gate was entered from the east
Khan and gives him the title conqueror of the Holy
(left) through a small door in a larger door (wicket gate)
Land. This inscription is dated in the Muslim year 945
which was rarely opened. The road leading to this gate
which would be 1538-1539.
cuts through a 2000-year-old aqueduct, which can still
be seen on the west (right) side of this gate by locating
the aqueducts covering stones.
Detail of the flower above Herods Gate.

38
The Damascus Gate is the most elegant of the Old City

gates. The location of this gate today marks the location of
a major city gate from when Herod Agrippa expanded
Damascus Gate the city walls in 41 AD. The bridge leading into the
gate spans an area excavated by the British between
The Damascus Gate is the most impressive of 1917 and 1947 where the first and second century
Jerusalems gates. It is called Damascus Gate because gates were found. (This is an example of what might be
the road coming out of it leads in the direction of found under todays Golden Gate if it were allowed to
Damascus. The Arabs call it the Gate of the Column be excavated.)
(Bab el-Amud), a name that preserves the memory of a
large column that once stood inside the gate, as seen Excavation under the Damascus Gate revealed an
on the Madaba map. Two towers stand on each side ancient gate system from 41 BC. Here is one of the
of the gate prepared for battle, and a very busy Arab pedestrian entrances to Jerusalem built by Herod
bazaar (marketplace) is crowded and active just inside Agrippa II from 41-44 AD. The arch is a reconstruction
the gate. completed by Hadrian in 135 AD.

39
A smaller pedestrian entrance (seen in this photo) is Capitolina at this location. It was then called the Nea
located below and to the east (left) of the Damascus Gate, or New Gate.
Gate. This pedestrian gate and its tower date from the
time of Herod Agrippa Is expansion of the city walls to Excavation under todays Damascus Gate has
the north and west in 41-44 AD. He built a larger gate revealed a variety of finds from Jerusalems history,
and this smaller gate at this location. The main walls including base molding similar to the molding on each
and gate were destroyed by Hadrian in 135 AD, but this side of the small pedestrian gate. A stone with the mark
smaller pedestrian gate, its tower and molding on the of the Tenth Legion is also visible, along with paving
lower half of the gate and the molding along the base stones from the first century. Hadrian (or, an emperor
of the tower still remain from Herod Agrippa Is original who followed him) placed a large victory column in
work in 41 AD. The arch and capping stone are from the middle of the plaza on the inside of this gate. This
Hadrians restoration in 135 AD. column, the plaza and the Nea Gate can be seen on
the Madaba map.
After destroying the city and its walls in 135, Hadrian
created a free-standing monumental entrance into Aelia

40
New Gate
The New Gate was not part of the original 1535 design
of Suleiman the Magnificent. Even though the New
Gate is located just up the hill from the Damascus
Gate in the north wall, there is clearly no comparison
in grandeur. The New Gate was placed into the
wall in 1887 by the Ottomans so that people could
conveniently access the homes being built outside
the city wall to the north. The sultan Abdul Hamid also
wanted to assist the Christian pilgrims from Russia,
(who stayed at the Russian Compound just outside
these walls), so they could have easy access to the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The New Gate was built into the wall in 1887.

41
Chapter 6
Periods, People and History
Periods of History
Neolilthic 8500-4500 BC Roman, Middle 70-200 AD
Chalcolithic 4500-3300 BC Roman, Late 200-324 AD
Bronze Age, Early 3300-2000 BC Byzantine 324-638 AD
Bronze Age, Middle 2000-1550 BC Arab Muslim 638-1099 AD
Bronze Age, Late 1550-1200 BC Crusader 1099-1250 AD
Iron Age 1200-539 BC Mamluk 1250-1517 AD
Persian 539-332 BC Ottoman 1517-1917 AD
Hellenistic 332-141 BC British 1917-1947 AD
Hasmonean 141-63 BC State of Israel 1948-present
Roman, Early 63 BC-70 AD
An archaeological dig in 2007 next to the Western Wall under the ramp that leads up to the Morocco Gate.

42
Chapter 7
The History of Archaeology in Jerusalem
Although he never left the Netherlands, Adriaan slope began the debate that identified this eastern hill
Reland (1676-1718), a Dutchman, wrote a detailed as the original site of Jerusalem which David took from
geographical survey of Palestine in 1696. the Jebusites, the City of David.
Edward Robinson, an American theologian, visited In 1923 R.A.S. Macalister and J.G. Duncan uncovered
Jerusalem in 1838. He discovered Hezekiahs Tunnel the eastern side of the City of David in the area of the
and the remains of Herod Agrippas wall expansion Jebusite Tower and revealed the Stepped Stone Wall.
from 41 AD. He also identified the remains of an arch
on the southwest corner of the Temple Mount, now From 1961-1967 Kathleen M. Kenyon excavated
called Robinsons Arch. He then published the first during the rule of the Jordanians after the war of 1948.
topographical study of the land of Palestine in 1841. She excavated Byzantine dwellings and other locations
outside the south wall of the Temple Mount.
The first archaeological dig in Jerusalem took place in
1863. Charles W. Wilson came to Jerusalem to help Within a year of the Jews winning the Six Day War,
improve the water system, but he used this position Benjamin Mazar began a ten-year excavation period
as a cover to dig tunnels and shafts under the city to from 1968 to 1978. He represented Hebrew University
explore the ancient remains. His maps and diagrams and the Israel Exploration Society. He focused on
are still used today. Wilson documented a series of the area southwest and south of the Temple Mount.
arches and vaults that supported a bridge which led up His work in a large area extends from Robinsons
to an entrance on the west side of the temple. Today Arch uncovered remains from the days of the First
these arches are called Wilsons Arch. Temple and the Second Temple period to the Herodian
street under Robinsons Arch and a stone bearing
In 1867 General Sir Charles Warren began a three- the inscription, to the trumpeting place to which had
year period of undercover excavation. The Ottoman once stood on the Temple Mount itself. This cut stone
government prohibited excavation around the Temple marked the place for the priest to sound the trumpet
Mount, so Warren dug a series of vertical shafts a to announce holy days to the people. It also served
distance away from the Temple Mount walls and then as a safety railing for the priests on the highest part
turned and tunneled horizontally until he reached the of the southwest corner of the temple. Mazar also
wall. He discovered the huge blocks fallen from the did extensive work on the Ophel south of the Temple
Temple Mount, the gutter system and the foundation Mount.
course of Herods Temple. Today 230 feet north of
Robinsons arch, one of Warrens shafts that reaches In 1975 Meir Ben Dov excavated from the Dung Gate
the foundation of the Western Wall can still be seen. to the Zion Gate. He uncovered the Nea Church,
Warren also discovered the pier which supported Herodian residences and a large number of mikvah.
Robinsons Arch 41 feet west of Robinsons Arch on the
wall, and he identified the shaft Joab used to enter the Eilat Mazar, the granddaughter of Benjamin Mazar,
Jebusite city in Davids day. Today it is called Warrens began excavating in the City of David near the Gihon
Shaft. Spring in 1986. She has recently uncovered Davids
Palace (2007) and a wall built by Solomon (2010).
German Conrad Schick was shown the inscription
inside Hezekiahs Tunnel in 1880 by two young boys. Besides the well-planned archaeological excavations
He also discovered a second tunnel running into the described above there are also accidental excavations
Pool of Siloam in 1886. and incidental discoveries like the discovery of the
tomb of Caiaphas, the High Priest who condemned
Hermann Guthe used the book of Nehemiah in 1881 to Jesus. In December of 1990, modern construction
uncover the eastern city wall on the eastern hill south equipment was being used south of the City of David
of the Temple Mount. His excavation along the eastern in a forested area when the ceiling of an ancient tomb

43
collapsed. Inside the tomb were burial chambers and Archaeological terrorism in Jerusalem has occurred
ossuary boxes still filled with the bones of people in the past and continues today. Under Jordanian rule
from around 20-70 AD. Among the many ossuary from 1948-1967 a Jewish cemetery with graves dating
boxes were two highly decorated boxes inscribed from the time of Herods Temple in the first century
Joseph son of Caiaphas and another inscribed was destroyed. Approximately 38,000 graves and
simply Caiaphas. In the boxes were bones of several tombstones, some from the first century, were smashed
people including the bones of a 60-year-old man who or removed for use as paving stones.
has been identified as the High Priest Caiaphas who
condemned Jesus in 30 AD. Josephus writes about In addition, recent photos of the Temple Mount indicate
this same Caiaphas identified by Matthew, Mark, Luke that under Muslim control, Solomons Stables below
and John, but Josephus calls him Joseph Caiaphas the southeast side of the Temple Mount have been
(Jewish Antiquities 18:35) and Joseph who was called converted into a mosque. Construction equipment
Caiaphas of the high priesthood (Jewish Antiquities was used to dig up a large area of the Temple Mount
18:95). Caiaphas was high priest from 18-36 AD. and move the stone, debris, and ancient masonry
stones to the Kidron Valley. A large stone staircase and
Ossuary boxes were used to hold the bones of a entryway down into Solomons Stables has been built
deceased person. The dead body was laid on a stone at the site of the hole dug into the Temple Mount. The
slab in the tomb for about a year. By that time the construction was completed in 2010, and can be seen
body would have decomposed, and the bones were in the photos below. The Double Gate Tunnel was also
collected and placed in an ossuary box. This box converted to a mosque.
then would have been kept in the tomb along with the
ossuary boxes of other family members.
The Eastern Wall of the Old City can be seen along

the back edge of the Temple Mount, with the Mount of
Olives in the background. In the forefront, the surface
of the Temple Mount is seen with a huge hole cut into
the ancient remains. The recently installed stairway
descends under the Temple Mount to an entrance into
Solomons Stables which is now called a mosque
by the Muslims. The extent of the damage to this
area is unknown since the Temple Mount has never
been excavated, and all the material was removed,
destroyed and dumped into the Kidron Valley.

44
This photo is taken from the surface of the Temple Remains of debris and stones on the Temple Mount
Mount at the top of the new staircase looking south. from construction.
This staircase leads to an entrance into "Solomon's
Stables which the Muslims have now claimed to be a Despite the destruction of historical evidence by
mosque. The east wall of the Temple Mount is to the archaeological terrorism, much of Jerusalem remains
left in this photo. unexcavated because areas of interest lie under
residences, holy sites or the Temple Mount itself.
The many discoveries made have been fairly recent
considering the long 2,000-year history of the city.
Today, archaeological breakthroughs are occurring
at a more rapid pace and are being processed more
accurately than ever before. The historical reliability
of the Scriptures continues to be reinforced through
archaeology. Each discovery helps us read the
pages of the Bible with a greater level of insight and
understanding.
Construction blocks can still be seen on the Temple

Mount. The new stairway can be seen in the
background in the top right of this photo.
A shaft below the Western Wall tunnels that was used

to explore the archaeological layers of the City of
Jerusalem.

Jerusalem History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture B.8
45
Section B: Topography
Chapter 8
Old Ancient Core
The city of Jerusalem today has a population of more The most desirable feature of the site was the natural
than 750,000. The current population in the Old City defense provided by hills and valleys to the south
is about 35,000, 77% of which are Muslim. There are and east combined with a difficult approach from the
2,387 residences in the Jewish Quarter; 2,461 in the west due to climbing elevations and the deep rugged
Armenian Quarter; 5,276 in the Christian Quarter; and valleys of the Judean hill country. Jerusalem sat on
25,248 in the Muslim Quarter (Peace Now Report, a rugged hill at the height of the hill country of Judea
8/22/2005). on local roads going nowhere and surrounded by
the natural defense of valleys. This meant foreign
Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the invaders travelling through the land would often bypass
city of our God, this holy mountain. It (Jerusalem) Jerusalem entirely.
is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole
earth. Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount The original city of the Jebusites, which became the
Zion, the city of the Great King. City of David, is located on a ridge south of Mount
- Psalm 48:1-2 Moriah known as the Old Ancient Core. This ridge of
rock (also called the Eastern Ridge) which became the
city of Melchizedek, the Jebusites and David was lower
Jerusalems original location was not chosen because
than Mount Moriah to the north, lower than the larger
of its proximity to major roads. In fact, it is far from
Western Hill to the west, and lower and smaller than
the international highways of the coastal plain and
the Mount of Olives to the east. Yet, it was here on the
Transjordan. The closest major roads in Old Testament
western edge of the Kidron Valley, on the Old Ancient
times were located a half mile to the west (the southern
Core, that Jerusalem was settled. This particular
Ridge Route) and more than five miles to the north
location was chosen because it has the largest water
(running from Gezer to Jericho).
source in the area. Water was continually supplied to
this area through the gushing of the Gihon Springs
located along the eastern ridge of the Kidron Valley.
Topography and elevation of Jerusalem as viewed from the south. Todays Mount Zion sits on the Western
Ridge (Western Hill) and the City of David sits on the Old Ancient Core called the Eastern Ridge (Eastern Hill).

Topography
46
Some Facts about Jerusalem
The northern border is not defined by valleys, but

is easily approachable and was the most difficult
area to defend against approaching armies; thus,
fortresses and towers were built on the north side of
the city.
The Central Valley (or, Tyropoeon Valley, which
means Valley of Cheesemakers) runs through the
middle of the city; this valley was filled in to level the
city between the Hinnom and Kidron valleys.
The Central Valley today runs from just north of the
Damascus Gate along ha-Gai Street; it separates
todays Temple Mount from the Jewish Quarter.
The Central Valley distinguished the Eastern Hill
(City of David) from the Western Hill (which is where
the city expanded to during the time of the Kings).
Mount Zion sits on the south end of the Western Hill,
and the Hinnom Valley bends around Mount Zions
west and south sides.
The City of David sits on the Eastern Hill.
The Gihon Springs are on the eastern slopes of this
Eastern Hill and provide water for the city while also
Jerusalem has three valleys: Hinnom, Central and watering the Kidron Valley.
Kidron. There are three ridges or hills: Western Hill
(with Mt. Zion), Eastern Hill (with Mt. Moriah) and the Mount Moriah sits immediately to the north of the
Mount of Olives. City of David and is, in a sense, part of the Eastern
Hill.
Ancient Jerusalem sat on several hills. The area between the City of David and Mount
The eastern border is the Kidron Valley. Moriah on the Eastern Hill is called the Ophel.
The Kidron Valley separates Jerusalem from Mount The city of David covers 15 acres; three of these
Scopus (aka, the Mount of Olives). acres are located on the slopes leading down into
the Kidron Valley.
The western border is the Hinnom Valley, which
turns to run along the south side also, and meets the Jerusalem is 33 miles east of the Mediterranean Sea
Kidron Valley. and 14 miles west of the Dead Sea.
The spring of En Rogel is located at the meeting Jerusalem is 3,800 feet above the level of the Dead
place of the Hinnom and Kidron valleys. Sea and 2,550 feet above sea level.

47
Looking from the south, this is a view of the Old Ancient Core (the Eastern Hill) in the center of the photo, outside
todays city walls. The steep Kidron Valley can be seen to the right of the Old Ancient Core. The Dome of the
Rock (located on the Most Holy Place on Mount Moriah) can be seen higher up the Eastern Hill inside the city
walls. The Central Valley has been filled in for 2,500 years, but the rise of the Western Hill can be seen on the left
edge of the photo. The southern wall of todays Old City can be seen climbing up the Western Hill.
A view of Jerusalem from the south.

Topography
48
Chapter 9
Kidron Valley
The view standing in the Kidron Valley looking south. The Mount of Olives is to the left and the Temple Mount is
to the right at the top of Mount Moriah.
The Kidron Valley runs north-south between the Mount in Judah was brought to a violent end (2 Kings 11:16).
of Olives and the eastern wall of the Temple Mount Today there are many tombs and graves in the Kidron,
and the City of David. This valley actually continues all since burying people here became a practice in the
the way to the Dead Sea. The total length of the valley days of Josiah (2 Kings 23:6).
is 20 miles, and it falls 4,000 feet. The Gihon Springs
naturally filled this valley, but the settlers of Jerusalem
diverted the water into pools and channels to be used The days are coming, declares the Lord, when
by the city. this city will be rebuilt... The whole valley where
dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the
The Bible describes David fleeing across this valley terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as
and up the Mount of Olives to escape his son Absalom far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to
(2 Samuel 15:13-30). King Asa worshipped here at the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or
pagan altars with idols and Asherah poles (1 Kings demolished. - Jeremiah 31:38-40
15:13). Athaliah was executed here after her evil reign

49
Looking down into the steep Kidron Valley from the City of David located on the Eastern Hill or the Old Ancient Core.
This photo is looking up from the Kidron Valley at the

southeast corner of the Temple Mount Wall. In the days
of the New Testament, the building on this corner of the
Temple Mount would have been even higher. Josephus
describes the view from the roof of the Royal Stoa, or
Solomons Porch, saying:
It was a structure more noteworthy than any under

the sun. The height of the portico was so great that
if anyone looked down from its rooftop he would
become dizzy and his vision would be unable to
reach the end of so measureless a depth.
- Josephus, Antiquities 15.412
It is important to realize that the Kidron Valley was

much deeper 2,000 years ago. The bottom of the
Kidron Valley has been raised by the rubble and debris
of centuries falling into it. This is where Jesus was
tempted by Satan to jump:
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had
him stand on the highest point of the temple.
If you are the Son of God, he said, throw
yourself down. Matthew 4:8

Topography
50
Chapter 10
Central Valley (Tyropoeon Valley i.e., Valley of the Cheesemakers)
The Central Valley was a rugged ravine, like the Kidron The Central Valley ran along the western wall of the
and Hinnom, that separated Mount Moriah (Eastern Temple Mount just like the Kidron Valley runs along the
Hill) from Mount Zion (Western Hill). Bridges were even eastern wall of the Temple Mount. The paved Herodian
built to span the distance between the two hills. The street seen today along the western wall under
Central Valley began to be leveled off intentionally in Robinsons Arch follows its old course. Presently, the
the days of Hezekiah, and over the centuries, debris Central Valley runs under the Damascus Gate south,
from the destruction and rebuilding of Jerusalem then southeast through the middle of the Old City, to
have, for all practical purposes, completely filled in the the Pool of Siloam and meets the Hinnom and Kidron
Central Valley leaving it level with the incline that rises valleys south of the City of David.
to become the Western Hill. There may be as much as
70 feet of debris in the Central Valley. On only one occasion Josephus refers to the Central
Valley as the Tyropoeon Valley which means Valley of
the Cheesemakers.

51
Chapter 11
Hinnom Valley
The Hinnom Valley is also called the valley of the
son of Hinnom or Valley of Benhinnom. This was At its lowest point, the Hinnom Valley is also the lowest
shortened to Valley Hinnom which in Hebrew is point in the city of Jerusalem. If the Temple Mount
pronounced, Ge Hinnom and transliterated into Greek on Mount Moriah is the highest point in the city and
as Gehenna. Thus, the Hinnom Valley is the Gehenna represents the presence of the Lord, then the lowest
of the New Testament, which is associated with fire, point of the city would also have illustrative value. This
judgment, the Lake of Fire, eternal fire and Hell. can be seen by comparing Amos and Isaiahs use of
topographical typology:
The border for the land allotted to the tribe of Judah is
partially identified with this valley by Joshua in 1400 BC: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to
the house of the God of Jacob. - Isaiah 2:3
Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom along
the southern slope of the Jebusite city (that is, Though they dig down to the depths of Sheol, from
Jerusalem). From there it climbed to the top of the there my hand will take them. - Amos 9:2
hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end
of the Valley of Rephaim. - Joshua 15:8
Figure 1 - Today the Hinnom Valley is covered with green grass. This photo was taken on the west side of the
Mount of Olives near the southwest corner of the Old City walls. An Arab family is resting in the shade of a tree
while their children play in the Hinnom Valley.

Topography
52
Add to this the geographical fact that the wilderness Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made
began where the Hinnom Valley ended, and we have a ready for the king. Its fire pit has been made deep
perfect illustration of the realm of demons (Leviticus 16:10) and wide, with an abundance of fire and wood; the
and the chaos that was conquered (Genesis 1:2, 3). breath of the Lord, like a stream of burning sulfur,
sets it ablaze. - Isaiah 30:33
When the people of Judah began to worship demons
and offer their children in the fire, they did it in the
Hinnom Valley. When Josiah became king, he went The people of Judah have done evil in my
down into the Hinnom Valley where children had been eyes, declares the Lord. They have set up their
sacrificed to demons, and he desecrated the altar/ detestable idols in the house that bears my Name
image (or, the burner called Topheth) that the and have defiled it (Solomons Temple). They
wicked people used to burn their children as an offering have built the high places of Topheth (the burner)
to the god Molech: in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons
and daughters in the fire something I did not
He (Josiah) desecrated Topheth (the burner), command, nor did it enter my mind. So beware,
which was in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, so no one the days are coming, declares the Lord, when
could use it to sacrifice his son or daughter in the people will no longer call it Topheth or the Valley
fire to Molech. - 2 Kings 23:10 of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter, for
they will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no
more room. - Jeremiah 7:31-33
When God spoke through Isaiah of the coming
judgment he also spoke of the burner:
Looking down into the Hinnom Valley from Jerusalem.

53
The Hinnom Valley had become a place associated The slopes of the Hinnom Valley were used for tombs
not only with the lowest point and the path to the by the wealthiest Jewish families in the first century.
wilderness of demonic chaos, but also as a place of Josephus says the tomb of Annas the high priest is
hideous demon worship that demanded the burning located in this area and such a monument has been
of living children. The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah identified. There are more than 30 tombs cut and
had condemned this valley as surely as King Josiah excavated in the lower southern side of the Hinnom
had shut it down. It became a rejected part of the Valley by a monastery dedicated to Saint Onuphrius.
city that was converted to a burning pit to dump the
citys garbage. In 27 AD Jesus made reference to this
location calling it by the Greek name Gehenna when
he said:
Anyone who says, You fool! will be in danger of

the fire of hell (or, in the Greek, Gehenna).
- Matthew 5:22
Likewise, James, Jesus brother, writing from

Jerusalem around 48 AD says of the tongue:
It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course

of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell (or,
in the Greek, Gehenna). - James 3:6
Tombs from the time of the New Testament in the

southern end of the Hinnom Valley. Herods family
tomb is located in this area, although Herods tomb was
uncovered at the Herodium in April of 2007.
Looking south down the Hinnom Valley in the evening

outside the Joppa Gate and the west wall of the city.
The Citadel can be seen in the top left corner of
this photo.

Topography
54
Chapter 12
Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives is a two-mile long ridge, or foot When Jesus was in Jerusalem he often stayed in
hill, with three summits on it. Just to the east of the Bethany, a village on the east side of the Mount of
Mount of Olives is the wilderness (i.e., desert) that Olives, about a two-mile walk southwest of Jerusalem.
leads down to Jericho and the Jordan Valley. It is The walk from Jerusalem to Bethany took Jesus
named after the groves of olive trees that grew there in through Gethsemane and straight up to the summit
the Old and New Testament times. of the Mount of Olives (then along the ridge), which is
today a modern road to Bethphage. Following another
David ascended the Mount of Olives when he fled from ridge, the road then leads into Bethany.
his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15:30), and Solomon built
temples for foreign gods there on what is called the It is believed that the Jewish Messiah will appear on
Hill of Corruption in 2 Kings 23:13. the Mount of Olives. This belief has led centuries of
Jews dating back to the Old Testament to place their
Details of several of Jesus activities on the Mount of graves here.
Olives are recorded in the gospels. This has led to
numerous churches being built on these holy sites On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of
from the time of the Byzantine Empire in the early days Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives
of the church. will be split in two from east to west, forming a
great valley. - Zechariah 14:4
A view looking east at the first and second summits of the Mount of Olives. The Garden of Gethsemane is on the
left, in the middle of the photo above the road. The Kidron Valley runs parallel to the bottom of the photo.

55
The three summits of the Mount of Olives can be seen.
The glory of the Lord went up from within the city Considering 1) the support of Old Testament prophecy,
and stopped above the mountain east of it. 2) the confirmation of Jesus by his ascension, and
- Ezekiel 11:23 3) the words of the angels, it is clear that Jesus, the
Messiah, will return to the Mount of Olives and enter
Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, the new Temple in Jerusalem.
and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming
from the east. - Ezekiel 43:1, 2
Jesus seemed to accept this teaching and testified to

it by ascending back into heaven from the Mount of
Olives. His ascension was followed by the confirming
statement of the angels that Jesus would return the
same way he left.
When he had led them out to the vicinity of

Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.
While he was blessing them, he left them and was
taken up into heaven. - Luke 24:50
After he said this, he was taken up before their

very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he The third summit is covered with Jewish Graves
was going, when suddenly to men dressed in white because of verses like Zechariah 14:4 and Ezekiel
stood beside them. Men of Galilee, they said, 43:1-2 that indicate the Messiah will appear on the
why do you stand here looking into the sky? This Mount of Olives.
same Jesus, who has been taken from you into
heaven, will come back in the same way you have
seen him go into heaven. Then they returned to
Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives.
- Acts 1:9-12

Topography
56
Chapter 13
Mount Moriah
Mount Moriah is the mount on which Abraham offered Mount Moriah is where Solomon built his Temple.
Isaac in Genesis 22. In 1 Chronicles 21 it is identified
as the location of Arunah (or, Ornan) the Jebusite Then Solomon began to build the house of the
threshing floor that David bought for 600 shekels Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the
of gold. This purchase is an important fact since it Lord had appeared to David his father, at the place
demonstrates that the Jews received this area through that David had appointed on the threshing floor of
a legal transaction. They have never sold the rights to Ornan the Jebusite. - 2 Chronicles 3:1
Mount Moriah.
Mount Moriah is a ridge of rock that rises from the
King David said to Ornan, No, but I will buy them junction point of the Hinnom and Kidron valleys. It
for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what rises through the City of David and reaches its highest
is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me elevation just northeast of the Damascus Gate in
nothing. So David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold the Old City. The Temple Mount today covers about
by weight for the site. And David built there an altar 45 acres and is built around the outcropping of the
to the Lord and presented burnt offerings. bedrock under the Dome of the Rock. It is about 118
- 1 Chronicles 21:24, 25 feet lower than the highest point of Mount Moriah.
The top bedrock of Mount Moriah just outside the Dome of the Rock. This is part of the same bedrock where
the Ark of the Covenant sat in Solomon's Temple on Mount Moriah. The bedrock in this photo is covered by the
Muslims Dome of the Spirits about 285 feet north of the location where the Ark of the Covenant sat in the Most
Holy Place.

57
Chapter 14
Western Hill
The Western Hill was not settled until the area around the west wall on the Western Hill, as were many of
the Eastern Hill (the City of David) began to fill up. the wealthy residences of New Testament Jerusalem,
People then began moving outside the walls of the City including the mansion of the high priest. Jesus would
of David and across the Central Valley to the Western have been brought to the Western Hill to appear before
Hill. When the Assyrian Empire invaded northern Israel Annas and Caiaphas. It is quite possible that the Upper
in 723, BC many of the Jews from Israel fled south Room, used during the Last Supper and on the Day of
into Judah and settled in Jerusalem. They also settled Pentecost, was also on this Western Hill.
outside the walls of the city on the Western Hill.
Today the Christian Quarter and the Armenian Quarter
Hezekiah eventually built a wall around this new inside the walls of the Old City are on the Western Hill.
western suburb in preparation for the Assyrian attack The area south of the Armenian Quarter outside the
of Judah in 701 BC. (Part of this Broad Wall can still walls is today called Mount Zion, and it is also part of
be seen.) This portion of the city fell in 586 BC to the the Western Hill. (In scripture, Mount Zion originally
Babylonians along with the rest of the city. When the referred to the Eastern Hill, or the City of David. Mount
exiles returned it was settled again after the days of Zion then began to refer to the northern part of Mount
Nehemiah. Moriah, or the Temple Mount. Early Christians of the
Byzantine and Crusader periods wrongly identified the
By the time of the New Testament, the Central Valley southern part of the Western Hill as Mount Zion, but it
had been filled in and the city had again expanded to maintains that name to this day.)
cover the Western Hill. Herods palace was built along

Topography
58
Chapter 15
Ophel
The Ophel is part of the Eastern Hill that sits between Afterward he (Manasseh) rebuilt the outer wall of
the City of David and the Temple Mount. The word the City of David, west of the Gihon spring in the
ophel means swell or rise and refers to a higher part valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate and
of the landscape. The Jebusites built their citadel there, encircling the hill of Ophel; he also made it much
as did David, who also added a lot more fortification to higher. - 2 Chronicles 33:14
this northern part of his city.
This part of the city was always heavily fortified, as
The Ophel is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 27 and 33:
seen in Nehemiah 3:26, Isaiah 32:14 and Micah 4:8.
Extensive building took place in this area from the days
Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the
of David right up to the modern excavation of the Ophel
Lord and did extensive work on the wall at the hill
just south of the Temple Mount.
of Ophel. - 2 Chronicles 27:3

Jerusalem History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture C.16
59
Section C: Old Testament

Chapter 16
Salem, Jebus, Jerusalem (2000-1000 BC)
When Abraham entered the land of Canaan around Abraham met Melchizedek in the Valley of Shaveh, that
2000 BC the city of Jerusalem was called Salem is the Kings Valley (Genesis 14:17). This would be at
(Genesis 14). the south end of the ridge of the city where the Kidron
and Hinnom valleys meet. Melchizedek was also a
After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer priest of God Most High, who was Abrahams God
and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom as well.
came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that
is, the Kings Valley). Then Melchizedek king of Abraham was in Jerusalem again a few years later
Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest when he offered Isaac on Mount Moriah, as described
of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, in Genesis 22. Mount Moriah is on the northern end of
Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of the Eastern Hill that Melchizedeks city sat on. So, in
heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, Genesis 14, Abraham met Melchizedek on the south
who delivered your enemies into your hand. Then end of the Eastern Hill in the valley, but in Genesis
Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 22 he went to the highest point, the north end, of that
- Genesis 14:17-20 same ridge.
Around the time of Jacob and Joseph (1800-1700

Melchizedeks city was called Salem, or Shalem,
BC), Jerusalem, or Rushalimum, is mentioned in an
which is also the name of the God whose worship
Egyptian text as a chief city in the central hill country
was centered in the city. The full name of this God
with two rulers named Yqaram and Shasan. Just
was God Most High, Creator of Heaven and Earth
a few years later in another Egyptian text, the name
since he was the God of creation. It is interesting to
Jerusalem is mentioned along with the name of one
note that Abram recognizes this God in verse 22 when
single ruler, which is illegible.
he swears by his name and, at the same time, calls
him Lord which is the word YHWH, the name of the
Canaanites continued to live in the city through the
covenant God of Israel:
days of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacobs 12 sons.
After the Hebrews spent 400 years in Egypt and 40
Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have raised my
years in the wilderness, Joshua led them into the
hand to the Lord (YHWH), God Most High, Creator
Promised Land.
of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I
will accept nothing belonging to you.
The Jebusites (also called Amorites) were a group of
- Genesis 14:22-23
Canaanites. The kings name at that time was Adoni-
zedek (Joshua 10:1-3) who appears to be an heir
The name of the city Jerusalem was originally or descendent of Melchizedek. (Notice the spelling:
Yerushalem. We already know that shalem comes Melchi-zedek.) The Zedek family, or the Zedek title,
from the name of the God worshipped in the city by had been ruling Jerusalem from 2000 to 1400 BC. In
Melchizedek. (The Jews taught that Melchizedek about the year 1404 BC, Adoni-zedek met Joshua on
was Noahs son Shem, who, according to biblical that fateful day when the sun stood still and was killed
records, was still alive at this time.) The word yeru by Joshua (Joshua 10:3; 12:7, 10). Joshua continued
means foundation stone or cornerstone. The name to lead the Israelites through this Promised Land given
Jerusalem, then, means the foundation stone of to Abraham by God.
Shalem and refers to the original cornerstone laid by
the Creator of the Universe when he built the earth. After Joshuas death, the men of Judah attacked
and captured Jerusalem. The people in the city were
Melchizedek was the king of this city, which was slaughtered and the city was burnt.
located on the southern part of the Eastern Hill
between the Kidron Valley and the Central Valley.

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The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem also and Unwilling to stay another night the man left and
took it. They put the city to the sword and set it on went toward Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two
fire. - Judges 1:8 saddled donkeys and his concubine. When they
were near Jebus and the day was almost gone,
the servant said to his master, Come, lets stop at
After that time the city of Jerusalem was resettled
this city of the Jebusites and spend the night. His
by Jebusites and the city was named Jebus by its
master replied, No. We wont go into an alien city,
inhabitants.
whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to
Gibeah. - Judges 19:10-12
Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were
living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live
there with the people of Judah. - Joshua 15:63 By Davids day in 1005 BC, these Jebusites had built
up the southern half of the Eastern Hill. The Jebusites
had built walls around their city and had added
The Amarna Collection was found in Egypt in 1887. It
considerable defensive structures on the north end
is a collection of ancient letters written on clay tablets
in the middle of the Eastern Hill in the area called the
varying in size from 2 x 2.5 inches up to 3.5 x 9 inches.
Ophel. The northern section of the ridge, Mount
A substantial amount of the content of the letters written
Moriah, was being used as a threshing floor (2 Samuel
to Pharaoh Amenhotep III (1410-1377 BC) are appeals
24:16-24). This city covered about 10 acres.
from many of the kings in Canaan for military help
and provisions. At that time the land of Canaan was
When David was 37-years-old and had reigned
being overrun by invaders referred to in the letters as
in Hebron for 7 years his men entered the city of
Haibru. The word Habiru simply means nomadic
Jerusalem through the water system and took it from
invaders, but its pronunciation sounds like the name
the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5:4-9). David began extensive
of a people called Hebrews who invaded the same
building in Jerusalem which he renamed the City
land of Canaan in a similar fashion at the very same
of David. The Bible says that David captured the
time. The Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt is dated
stronghold of Jerusalem, which would be the same
as occurring in the year 1444 BC. After 40 years in the
palace fortress mentioned by Adbi-Hepa and used for
wilderness the Hebrews would have entered Canaan
centuries by the kings who proceeded David:
in 1405-1404 BC. For the next seventy years, letters
written from the land of Canaan focus on the chaos and
fighting caused by these Habiru invaders. The Jebusites said to David, You will not get
in here.. . . . Nevertheless, David captured the
A letter sent to Pharaoh Amenhotep IV of Egypt fortress of Zion, the City of David. . . . David then
between 1350 and 1334 BC from Jerusalem has took up residence in the fortress and called it the
survived among the Amarna letters. The letter is from City of David. He built up the area around it, from
Abdi-Hepa, the ruler of Jerusalem, which indicates that the supporting terraces (Millo) inward.
Jerusalem was an important city at that time. In these - 2 Samuel 5:6-7, 9
letters Abdi-Hepa, a Hittite name, discusses a failed
attempt to break into his palace in order to assassinate
him. The natural location of this palace fortress would
be the same place in Jerusalem that the kings before
him and after him would choose: the north edge of the
city near the Ophel. (David would eventually take this
fortress around 1005 BC). In these letters the ruler of
Jerusalem is clearly having trouble with invaders and
raiding parties a generation after Joshua brought Israel
into the land of Canaan. Abdi-Hepa was asking for help
from the Egyptian Pharaoh.
Jebus, or Jerusalem, is also mentioned in the account

of a traveling Levite in the book of Judges from roughly
around 1200 BC:

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Chapter 17
Millo and the Jebusite Wall (2000-1000 BC)
The Millo is part of the City of David. It is the rampart that supported the buildings above. The Millo is the
built by the Jebusites before David conquered the Stepped Stone Structure uncovered by Kathleen
city. The Millo consists of the terraces and retaining Kenyon. Eilat Mazar has uncovered the Large Stone
walls on the eastern slope of the southeastern spur Structure (Davids Palace) that sat on the Millo.
The Stepped Stone Structure at what is believed to be the location of the Jebusite Wall. This photo includes
1) a glacis, a steep sloped wall for protection, which is called the Millo in 2 Samuel 5:9 from 1100-1000 BC
2) remains of residences from 1200 BC
3) retaining walls from 1200 BC
4) rooms used from 700-586 BC
5) walls built by Nehemiah.

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Diagram detailing the Stepped Stone Structure
A massive stepped podium for the Canaanite-Jebusite

The House of Ahiel. This four-room house was built palace/fortress that was also used as Davids palace.
into and over the Millo around 650 BC in the days of Eilat Mazar dates the building of this structure from the
young Josiah and Jeremiah. The staircase to the left period of 1200-1000 BC. This Stepped Stone Structure
(seen in photos below) would have provided access to was the work of the Jebusites during the days of the
the homes flat roof. A stone with a hole in it was found Judges, and the work of David around 1000 BC.
in a corner of the small room. This stone is the toilet
seat that sat over a cesspit about 6.5 feet deep.

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A view looking down at the sloped wall built by the

Jebusites and reinforced by David, which served as a
protective wall (glacis) but also as a terraced support
system called the Millo in scripture. The straight wall
with the right-angled corner in the background is from
the days of Nehemiah. The remains between the
Jebusite wall and Nehemiahs wall are the ruins of the Details of the House of Ahiel: The four columns would
ribs of retaining walls from the 1200s BC designed to have supported a flat roof. The staircase would have
hold fill. Just in front of them is the beginning of rooms provided access to the flat roof. Notice the square
dating from 700-586 BC. box in the small room on the lower rightthis is the
bathroom. The toilet seat, or the box, can be seen in
photos below.
This structure is called

the House of Ahiel
because two pieces of
pottery (ostraca) were
found with his name on
it when this home was
excavated. (Photo from
2010 with both back
pillars standing.)

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The stairs to access the roof of the House of Ahiel can be seen on the left in this photo. (Photo from 2007, with the
back right pillar leaning in the corner.)
Between the lowest part of the stepped stone structure
and the outer wall of the city, ancient citizens built
several stepped terraces to support and provide a
platform for the buildings above.
One of the terraces excavated was 40 feet wide and

88 feet long. In two upper terraces three separate
structures were identified:
1. In the middle terrace: A four-room house built in two

levels. Two ostraca (pieces of pottery broken from
a vase or earthenware) were found with the name
Ahiel inscribed on them. This structure was named
the House of Ahiel. Also found in this four-room
structure were many other small items and pottery
vessels.
2. In the middle terrace: To the north (right) of the

This toilet seat sat in the corner of the small room in House of Ahiel was the Burnt Room that showed
the House of Ahiel. This would have provided the four- signs of the intense fire suffered during the
room home with a bathroom. Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC,
as prophesied by Jeremiah. The remains of burnt

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wood included imported wood from northern Syria resembles that on the western hill and in one
with carved palmette patterns (an artistic design of the section of the house of Millo cleared by B. Mazar,
fan-shaped leaves of palm trees), furniture and parts was total. The rubble was preserved in some of the
of the roof beam. Also found in this room were pottery, buildings up to the height of their first-story ceiling.
stone vessels, bone vessels and a metal spoon. Perhaps the most graphic telling of the story is
Nehemiahs description of the ruins in the City
3. In the lower terrace: 16 feet below the House of of David as he found them in his tour of the city,
Ahiel was a narrow building where 51 bullae (round some 140 years later (Nehemiah 2:13-14). - The
clay seals with an impression affixed to a rolled New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations
document) were found. This structure is called the in the Holy Land, Volume 2, The Israel Exploration
House of Bullae. One of the bullae was impressed Society and Carta, 1993, page 709
with the name Gemariah son of Shaphan who is
mentioned in Jeremiah 36:9-12. Gemariah was a
scribe in the court of Jehoiakim during the kings fifth
year (604 BC). Since this royal scribes impression
was found in this room of documents, we can infer
that this burnt House of Bullae was some form of
royal archive or public office. Other bullae located
here were impressed with Hebrew names such
as: Belonging to Benayahu son of Hoshaiah,
Belonging to Azaryahu son of Hilkiahu, Belonging
to Azrikam Michyahu, Belonging to Elishama son of
Samachiah.
The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations

in the Holy Land gives us some additional insight and The Stepped-Stone Structure with the house of Ahiel
information concerning the details identified in this cut into it and the toilet seat. The Burnt Room is to the
Stepped Stone Structure: right of the toilet. Evidence of the Babylonian fire of 586
BC and the charred remains of imported wood, a roof
The Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 beam, pottery, stone vessels and a metal spoon from
BC is well documented in the biblical sources that time were found here.
(2 Kings 25:8-10; 2 Chronicles 36:18-19), which
describe the destruction, burning, and collapse of
houses and walls. The archaeological evidence
for this phase in Jerusalems history, which rounds
out the historical account, can be counted among
the more dramatic at any biblical site. Alongside
the Israelite tower cleared by Avigad in the north
of the city was a thick conflagration layer, in which
arrow heads were found, that may have been
fired when the citys northern defenses were
being breached. In addition, many of the buildings
excavated by Shiloh, mainly in areas E and G,
were also destroyed in a fierce conflagration:
the Ashlar House, the House of Ahiel, the Burnt
Room, and the House of the Bullae. Their walls This is a view of the deep drop down into the Kidron
collapsed and buried abundant and rich finds, Valley from the base of the Stepped Stone Structure.
including large quantities of pottery; dozens of Imagine David and Joab looking up at the Jebusites
metal and stone vessels; bone implements, and who were on top of the Stepped Stone Structure and
considerable epigraphic material. The dozens of understanding what they meant when they said, You
flat iron arrowheads of the local type and triangular will never get in here; even the blind and the lame can
bronze arrowheads of the so-called Scythian type ward you off (2 Samuel 5:6). With this sort of natural
found in the houses bear mute witness to the battle and constructed defensive system, its no wonder they
for the city on the eve of its destruction, as the said what they did. David ordered Joab to use the
inhabitants amassed ammunition in their homes. water system from the Gihon Springs further down this
The destruction of these residential quarters, which ridge to enter the city.

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Chapter 18
Gihon Springs
The main water source of the original City of David was
the Gihon Springs located at the base of the eastern
slope of the city in the Kidron Valley. The Gihon Springs
provided water year round by gushing forth several
times a day. This water then naturally flowed into
the Kidron Valley. In the earliest days of Jerusalems
occupation, reservoirs where built to collect the
water from the Gihon Springs. Three systems were
eventually designed to use this water:
1. Warren's Shaft
2. Siloam Channel (Tunnel)
3. Hezekiah's Tunnel
These three water systems continued to bring water to

the city of Jerusalem until the days of the Hasmoneans
and Herod. During the last century BC and the first The vertical shaft seen above, known today as
century AD, aqueducts were built to transfer water into Warrens Shaft, was used by the Jebusites to get water
Jerusalem from the southern hill country of Judea from from a reservoir located below the city. The water from
around Hebron and Bethlehem. the Gihon Springs filled the reservoir. Joab followed
David's advice and led a division of soldiers up this
shaft and into the city of Jebus, or Jerusalem, around
the year 996 BC.
the shaft where it could be collected by people who

had descended down the stairs and though the 135
foot horizontal tunnel. A hydrogeological survey of this
water system revealed that both the vertical shaft and
the horizontal tunnel were natural openings that were
adapted and cut wider by ancient city planners. This
is the water shaft used by David and his men to enter
and attack Jerusalem when it was occupied by the
Jebusites in 2 Samuel 5:8: And David said on that day,
Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the
water shaft to attack.
The City of David, formerly called Salem and Jebus,
The water from the Gihon Springs followed a natural
sits on the southern part of the Eastern Hill or the
tunnel to the base of the shaft discovered by Warren.
eastern ridge with Mount Moriah further up on this
This shaft was developed from a natural sinkhole that
same ridge to the north.
extended down to the natural tunnel of water from the
Gihon Springs. City planners widened the sinkhole and
Warrens Shaft was discovered in 1867 by Charles
developed a tunnel to reach it from the upper ground
Warren. The shaft has a rock-hewn opening with steps
level of the city from within the citys walls. Warrens
descending into a horizontal tunnel that runs for about
Shaft functioned like a well. A person at the top of the
135 feet to a depth of about 42 feet. The tunnel ends
shaft in the inclined tunnel could lower a bucket on
at the top of a vertical shaft that goes straight down
a rope to the bottom of the 40 foot shaft to get fresh
into the Gihon Springs about 40 feet below. This 40
water from the reservoir below. A person could reach
foot vertical shaft was used to draw or pump water up
this inclined tunnel by entering a vaulted chamber

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Details of the natural water supply from the Gihon

Springs and the water system developed by the
The "natural cave" shown in the diagram above that
Jebusites, David, Hezekiah and others. This Gihon
was blocked. This photo shows it from the inside.
Spring still fills the water system today.
from the ground level, walking down a steep, stepped

tunnel, then using a ladder to descend a nine-foot
scarp drop to arrive in the inclined tunnel. The entrance
to this water system was within the city walls, while the
Gihon Springs were outside the walls.
Joab could have entered the city through Warren's

Shaft, or he may have used the natural tunnel before it
was blocked (see diagram and photo above), to access
the inclined plane and ascend into the city.
This is a view of one of the two towers in the Gihon

Tower excavation in 2007, looking from the Kidron
Valley toward the city wall. Details of the water system and the City of David.

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68
This photo was taken from the same location in the

Gihon Tower in 2010. Excavation has made some
progress by discovering a walkway along the top of Artist's conception in 2010 of the Gihon Springs Towers
a wall in the Gihon Towers. (See images below to
compare the progress of the excavation.)
Looking down on the remains of the Gihon Towers that

extend toward the Kidron Valley and enclose the Gihon
Artist's conception in 2007 of the Gihon Springs Towers Springs for protection.
Excavation of the Gihon Springs and the Gihon Towers

69
This channel is called the Canaanite Tunnel. It is 394 feet

long and takes about 10 minutes to walk through today.
Straight ahead to Hezekiahs Tunnel (701 BC). Turn left

to enter the Canaanite Tunnel (1200 BC or earlier) cut
before the time of David.
Descending to the Gihon Springs and the tunnels cut

into the bedrock under the City of David.

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Chapter 19
City of David (1000 BC)
A model showing the location of early Jerusalem, or

the City of David. Notice the steep, rugged Kidron
Valley to the right (east). By the days of the New
Testament the Central Valley was either filled in or
spanned with bridges. Mount Moriah is part of this
eastern ridge on which the City of David sits, but is
further up the ridge toward the top of the photo (north).
Another image of early Jerusalem from the days of

Melchizedek (2000 BC) until David (1000 BC).

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Early Jerusalem labeled and viewed from the Mount of Olives to the east. Notice the Stepped Stone Structure (Millo).
A detailed image of the Stepped Stone Structure with

Mount Moriah to the north of the walls of the City of the stronghold/fortress and palace of David on the top
David. This northern portion of the eastern ridge would inside. The Gihon Springs and their protective towers
be purchased by David from a Jebusite, and Solomon are below in the Kidron Valley.
would build the Temple here.

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72
Chapter 20
Davids Palace (990 BC)
Eilat Mazar has been excavating on the site of King
Davids palace since 2005. She has uncovered a large
building that sat above the Jebusite wall (the Stepped
Stone retaining wall). The Jebusite wall was built
between 1200 and 1000 BC, and the large building,
known as the Large Stone Structure, was built just after
1000 BC during the reign of David. Mazar identified this
Large Stone Structure as the royal House of Cedar
which was King Davids palace as described in 2
Samuel 5:11:
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to This is a view from Davids palace looking down into
David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and the Kidron Valley. The Mount of Olives and its three
stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. summits can be seen to the right running along the
2 Samuel 5:11-12 Kidron Valley. The southeast corner of the Temple
Mount can be seen on the left edge of the photo.
Inside the Large Stone Structure that sits on top of the Stepped Stone Structure. This Large Stone Structure
has been identified as the palace of David. The pottery uncovered here indicates it was not built until the time of
David, around 1000 BC.

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Standing inside David's palace looking at the

excavated walls.
Inside Davids palace, also known as the Large Stone

Structure, on the top of the Stepped Stone Structure.
This Jebusite fortress would have sat to the south of

the new palace, guarding the northern wall of the old
Jebusite city. This means Davids palace would have
originally been built outside the walls of the city on the
north. Davids palace was beautiful and luxurious, but
when the Philistines invaded the land to assassinate
him he returned to the protection of the old fortress
within the walls of the city:
When the Philistines heard that David had been

anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force
to search for him, but David heard about it and
went down to the stronghold. - 2 Samuel 5:17
Looking along a wall of Davids palace toward the east.
It is worth noting that Davids palace was new The stronghold could also be interpreted as one
construction in his day. The Jebusites former fortress of the wilderness hideouts in the land of Judah that
that he had taken was left standing. David moved into David had used during his years fleeing from Saul.
that Jebusite fortress after his conquest of Jerusalem If that is the case, it is most likely Masada. But, then
and lived there until his palace was built: the questions could be asked, Why would David
flee the strong fortifications of Jerusalem? and Why
David then took up residence in the fortress. would David abandon his city and his people? But, if
- 2 Samuel 5:9 stronghold refers to the fortress of the Jebusites, we
have confirmation as to the location and identification
of the fortress, and the palace, which was located
higher up on the Eastern Hill in the Ophel.

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74
The walls of David's palace in the northwestern part of Looking at the wall at the top of the Stepped Stone
the excavation area looking west. Structure from David's palace.
Underneath the Large Stone Structure are remains The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem also and
most likely left from the events described in Judges took it. They put the city to the sword and set it
1:8, which were also the subject of some of the on fire. - Judges 1:8
Amarna Letters sent to Egypt asking for help.
Looking down from the top of the Stepped Stone Structure from David's palace. Notice how far down the Kidron
Valley is. The House of Ahiel can also be seen near the middle of the photo. David would be able to see the roof
of this house and many others from his palace. To the far right of this photo we can see a portion of the wall built
by Nehemiah.

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Chapter 21
Solomons Temple Mount (970 BC)
A view of the Temple Mount on Mount Moriah as seen

from the Mount of Olives.
David purchased the threshing floor north of the City

of David from Araunah the Jebusite for 50 shekels
of silver (2 Samuel 24:24) and paid 600 shekels of
gold for the entire site of Mount Moriah (1 Chronicles
21:25). These became the site of Solomons Temple.
Interestingly, in recent Israeli-Palestinian conflicts most

Muslims around the world claim there was never an
Israelite Temple on the Temple Mount.
Solomon built the Temple that would sit on a square

Temple Mount platform on Mount Moriah. The Temple
Mount platform was supported by retaining walls on
all four sides which brought the surface area to a level
17 acres. Each of the retaining walls of the Temple
Mount was 500 cubits long (or, 861 feet long using the
conversion of one royal cubit to 20.67 inches).
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the

Israelites had come out of Egypt, in the fourth
year of Solomons reign over Israel, in the month
of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the
temple of the Lord. . . . In building the temple, only
blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no This is a diagram of the Temple Mount comparing the
hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard size of Solomons 500 cubit square platform with the
at the temple site while it was being built. . . .The two later phases of extension. The first phase was
foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid in in the days of the Hasmoneans who extended the
the fourth year, in the month of Ziv. In the eleventh Temple Mount to the south; it is identified by a bend
year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the in the eastern wall were they began adding on. The
temple was finished in all its details according to second took place in 19 BC by Herod who extended it
its specifications. He had spent seven years even further to the south of the Hasmonean extension
building it. 1 Kings 1, 7, 36-38 but also extended it to the west and the north. In all,
Herod doubled the size of the Temple Mount.

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Notice how the top of the rugged Mount Moriah, which is the northern portion of the eastern ridge, was made into
a large level surface. Solomon first built a 500 cubit square retaining wall around the high point of Mount Moriah.
Then the area inside that square was filled in. The high point of bedrock that was left exposed was where the Ark
of the Covenant sat and was the area that supported the Temple itself.
Galyn Wiemers points at the top of the course of

ashlar stones that remain from the line of Solomons
western retaining wall. On the stone closest to Galyn,
the margin (the trimmed edge) and the boss (the raised
center) of the face of the stone could be seen up until
the 1970s. At that time the pavement where Galyn is
standing was raised and mortar (which is visible in this
photo to the left of the dotted line) was added to cover
up the visible face, or outside, of Solomons western
wall. Leen Ritmeyer has before and after photos of this
alteration that he has published in his books and online.

77
On the Temple Mount today a portion of the top course of cut stone that was in the line of the west wall of
Solomons Temple can be seen, although Solomons Temple was destroyed in 586 BC by the Babylonians.
Then beginning in 19 BC Herod the Great added additional retaining walls and fill to double the size of the
Temple Mount surface which buried any of Solomons outside retaining walls that remained. Today the Muslims
have a raised platform that sits on the Temple Mount platform. This platform can be seen in the diagram above
with the Dome of the Rock sitting on it. The stairs in the photo and in the bottom left corner (northwest) of the
Muslim platform in the diagram are not perpendicular with the platform. Notice all the other staircases are
perpendicular to the Muslim platform. Why are the northwest stairs at a different angle than the platform? There
is a course of stones at the base of this northwest (bottom left) staircase whose top can be seen. These stones
begin the angled staircase and instead running parallel with the Muslim platform, they preserve a former line of
the west wall of Solomons 500 cubit square Temple Mount surface. The details of this information was collected
and connected by Leen Ritmeyer who
has assembled a very insightful and solid
presentation on this subject in many of his
writings, books and blogs including Secrets
of Jerusalems Temple Mount and The Quest:
Revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
The northwest stairway that is aligned with

this bottom row of ashlar stones, instead
of the top of the Muslim platform. The
stairs are aligned with Solomons western
retaining wall, which was buried by the
Herodian addition to the west side of the
Temple Mount.

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78
Chapter 22
Solomons Walls
A section of a wall built in Solomon's day around Valley is located under the road that runs along the
950 BC was found south of the Temple Mount on the Ophel. Two earthenware jars, almost four feet tall, were
Ophel. The remains of the excavated wall are 19.6 feet also found from the time of Solomon. One jar handle
high and 230 feet long. Found along with the portion was marked with the inscription: "For the King."
of Solomons wall were a gatehouse that led into the
royal district of the city. The gate is built in the typical King Solomon would have built his royal palace north
style used by Solomon and his builders at Megiddo, of his father Davids palace further up the Ophel. This
Beersheba and Ashdod, with four symmetrical rooms, would later be called the upper house of the king
two on each side of the passageway through the gate. by Nehemiah 3:25. The city wall would have been
A 78 by 59 foot tower in the wall overlooking the Kidron expanded north. This is that wall.
Walls built by Solomon north of David's Palace of Cedar (2 Samuel 5:11) and Solomon's Palace of the Forest of
Lebanon (1 Kings 7:2), on the Ophel just south of the Temple Mount on Mount Moriah.

79
It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to
complete the construction of his palace. He built All these structures, from the outside to the great
the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred courtyard and from foundation to eaves, were
cubits long (150 feet), fifty wide (75 feet) and thirty made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size
high (45 feet), with four rows of cedar columns and trimmed with a saw on their inner and outer
supporting trimmed cedar beams. It was roofed faces. The foundations were laid with large stones
with cedar above the beams that rested on the of good quality, some measuring ten cubits and
columnsforty-five beams, fifteen to a row. Its some eight. Above were high-grade stones, cut to
windows were placed high in sets of three, facing size, and cedar beams. The great courtyard was
each other. All the doorways had rectangular surrounded by a wall of three courses of dressed
frames; they were in the front part in sets of three, stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams, as
facing each other. was the inner courtyard of the temple of the Lord
with its portico. - 1 Kings 7:1-12
He made a colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty

These walls expanded the City of David to the north.
wide. In front of it was a portico, and in front of that
Solomons building projects around his palace complex
were pillars and an overhanging roof.
would have required the opening of the northern wall,
leaving a breach. As mentioned before, David may
have built his own palace just on the outside of the
He built the throne hall, the Hall of Justice, where
old north wall of the Jebusite city that had enclosed
he was to judge, and he covered it with cedar
their fortress or stronghold. The book of 1 Kings also
from floor to ceiling. And the palace in which he
records Solomon rebuilding this northern wall which
was to live, set farther back, was similar in design.
would have included him extending the wall further to
Solomon also made a palace like this hall for
the north to include his new palace and thus closing
Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had married.
up this breach in the wall made for the many years of
construction in this area of the
city on the Ophel. This is the
wall recently excavated and
seen in the photos.
Solomon had built the

supporting terraces (Millo)
and had filled in the gap in
the wall of the city of David
his father. - 1 Kings 11:27
These are Solomon's walls built to extend the city to the north around his Palace
of the Forest of Lebanon around the year 950. Solomon began to reign in 970.
He spent 7 years building the Temple and 13 years building his palace. At the
end of these 20 years of building (950 BC), Solomon would have closed up the
gap in the north wall that was created by all of his construction work. These are
the walls he built.

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Chapter 23
Solomons Quarries
The entrance to Solomons Quarries built by Suleiman The entrance to Solomon's Quarries
in 1535 is under the north wall of the Old City, and sits
on the rock escarpment of Mount Moriah. Solomons Caverns (War 5:147) in his discussion of the north wall
Quarries are also known as Zedekiahs Cave or and gate built by Herod Agrippa I in 41BC on the same
Zedekiahs Grotto. location as todays wall and Damascus Gate. This
quarry became known as Zedekiahs Cave because 2
The stones for Solomons temple may have been hewn Kings 25 and Jeremiah 52 tell how Zedekiah fled the
and taken from this quarry around 970 BC (1 Kings 6:1): city of Jerusalem in 586 even though the Babylonian
army had encircled the city for 24 months and had
Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty even entered to city to pillage and burn. How did
thousand stonecutters in the hills, as well as thirty- Zedekiah escape entrapment in the city of Jerusalem
three hundred foremen who supervised the project at that time? The Bible indicates that he and his troops
and directed the workmen. At the kings command used a gate at night, but legend and the system of
they removed from the quarry large blocks of caves under the city provide additional information.
quality stone to provide a foundation of dressed There is reported a tunnel from the royal palace of
stone for the temple. The craftsmen of Solomon David that was connected to the cave system under
and Hiram and the men of Gebal (Byblos) cut and the Temple Mount on Mount Moriah, which would have
prepared the timber and stone for the building of been connected to this quarry. In fact, many ancient
the temple. -1 Kings 5:15-18 accounts and even modern reports claim that this cave
system extends all the way to Jericho 13 miles away.
It seems certain that King Herod returned here in 19
BC for some of the stone used to build his temple. Then the city wall was broken through, and the
Some of the stones in the Western Wall, for example, whole army fled. They left the city at night through
could easily have originated in this quarry. the gate between the two walls near the kings
garden, though the Babylonians were surrounding
The quarry entrance is under the north wall of the the city. They fled toward the Arabah (Jordan
Old City about 500 feet to the east of the Damascus Valley), but the Babylonian army pursued King
Gate. It was concealed during the Ottoman Empire Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho.
by Suleiman in 1540 for security reasons and was not All his soldiers were separated from him and
rediscovered until 1854 when James Barclay found it scattered, and he was captured.
and snuck in one night. Josephus mentions the Royal - Jeremiah 52:7-9 (2 Kings 25:4-6)

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Some believe that in one of these secret tunnels lies
the hidden Ark of the Covenant.
He (Josiah) said to the Levites, who instructed all
Israel and who had been consecrated to the Lord:
Put the sacred ark in the temple (beth meaning
house) that Solomon son of David king of Israel
built. It is not to be carried about on your shoulders.
2 Chronicles 35:3
This verse is saying either:

1. The Ark of the Covenant was moved out of the Most
Holy Place located in the Temple to an undisclosed
location during the evil days of Manasseh, and was
being returned to the Temple in Josiahs day.
2. The Ark of the Covenant was moved here by King
The stone ashlars were taken from this quarry. The Josiah after he heard the prophecy from Huldah
straight cuts and grooves of the square blocks that concerning the coming destruction of the Temple
were removed can still be seen. which was to occur after Josiahs death.
This quarry is located under Mount Moriah. The area If the Ark was being moved by Josiah to a place of
open for visitors today is just north of the Temple Mount hiding for protection, then it would have been taken to
about 30 feet beneath the Muslim Quarter in the Old the temple or house (from the word bet or beth
City. There is a system of tunnels and caves used by meaning house) that Solomon had made under the
the Jewish priests of the Old and New Testament to Temple. When Solomon built the Temple he would
move about under the Temple Mount. The quarry is have prepared a hiding place deep inside Mount
about 330 feet wide and 650 feet deep. Moriah to protect the Ark in times of great rebellion
or wickedness. God spoke to Solomon concerning a
future time when the very Temple that Solomon had
built would be destroyed and the people deported
because of their sin:
If you turn away and forsake the decrees and

commands I have given you and go off to serve
other gods and worship them, then I will uproot
Israel from my land, which I have given them,
and will reject this temple I have consecrated for
my Name. I will make it a byword and an object
of ridicule among all peoples. And though this
temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be
appalled and say, Why has the Lord done such a
thing to this land and to this temple?
- 2 Chronicles 16:19-21
Galyn stands in Solomons Quarries where stones
for the Temple were taken. This quarry leads to Solomon may have responded to this warning by
many tunnels that run under the Old City and the preparing a place for the Ark to be placed in the days
Temple Mount. of Israels great apostasy. If this is true then the Ark
was never seen by the Babylonians in 586 BC and
would have remained hidden there even after the
Jewish return from exile through the New Testament
days up until today. This hiding place would have been
accessible through Solomons Quarry, which provides
access to a variety of tunnels and caves under the
Temple Mount.

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Toni walks deeper into the maze of caverns in the

quarry that extends to a width of 330 feet.
Chisel marks can be seen in the walls and ceilings,
while chipped pieces remain in piles on the ground.
A section where the walls and ceiling show signs of the

removed ashlars.
Bedrock in the quarry that has been left in place.
Chisel marks can be seen and piles of chipped rock
The hard white limestone, called malaky, used by remain. The location of removed ashlars is marked
Herod is visible throughout this quarry. A variety of and even some finished blocks, ready to be removed,
other types of limestone can also be seen here. remain attached in the quarry.
Galyn and Toni under Mount

Moriah in Solomon's Quarries.
Notice the square cuts and
straight grooves left from the
removal of ashlar stones
used to build in the city of
Jerusalem above.

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Chapter 24
The Broad Wall (721 BC, Assyrian Destruction of north Israel)
down to Judah and the city of Jerusalem for protection
at this time. They settled outside the city walls to the
west on the Western Hill. To protect them and their
residences Hezekiah fortified the western part of this
newly expanded city around 721 BC with a wall. The
uncovered remains of this wall are 23 feet wide and
213 feet long. This portion of the wall ran west from
the Temple Mount toward the western corner of the
southwestern hill (which would be the Citadel today).
Evidence uncovered during excavation seems to
indicate that Hezekiah had to destroy some homes in
order to build it. Isaiah addresses this very issue in his
book, in chapter 22:
And you looked in that day to the weapons in the
Palace of the Forest (King Solomons Palace of
the Forest of Lebanon); you saw that the City of
David had many breaches in its defenses; you
stored up water in the Lower Pool (from Hezekiahs
Tunnel). You counted the buildings in Jerusalem
(new expansion to the west) and tore down houses
to strengthen the wall (this is what we see here,
a broad wall built through houses that had to be
A section of the Broad Wall built by Hezekiah around removed to build it). You built a reservoir between
721 BC to the west of the Temple Mount and the City of the two walls for the water of the Old Pool, but
David. This wall was built over the Central Valley and you did not look to the One who made it, or have
up onto the Western Hill to enclose homes in the part regard for the One who planned it long ago.
of the city that expanded when the Assyrians invaded - Isaiah 22:8-11
Israel to the north. Many people from the northern The book of Nehemiah places the Broad Wall near the
kingdom of Israel fled their country and moved into Temple Mount wall when, during the dedication of the
Judah and Jerusalem in order to escape the Assyrian new wall, one group of priests walked in procession on
invasion. Hezekiah protected them with this wall. The the wall, past the remains of this Broad Wall:
remains of the wall in this photo measure 22 feet wide
and 213 feet long. The second choir proceeded in the opposite
direction. I followed them on top of the wall,
The Broad Wall was built during Hezekiahs expansion together with half the people past the Tower
of the city. Jews from the northern tribes of Israel, who of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate
had been overrun by the Assyrians in 721 BC, migrated of Ephraim... -Nehemiah 12:38

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Another view of the same portion of the remains

of the 2,700 year old Broad Wall, which today sits
below street level in the Jewish Quarter. It was
uncovered in 1970 during the excavations that took
place in the Old City after the Six-Day War won by
Israel in 1967.
This diagram shows where the 213 foot section

of the excavated Broad Wall would have been in
the wall that Hezekaih built to protect the western
portion of his growing city.

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Chapter 25
Hezekiahs Tunnel (701 BC, Assyrian Invasion of Judah)
Hezekiahs Tunnel was cut through bedrock in 701 BC
under the City of David, curving and weaving for 1750
feet. If the same tunnel were cut in a straight line, it
would be 40% shorter at only 1070 feet. This tunnel
was designed and cut to bring water from the Gihon
Springs in the Kidron Valley located on the east side
of the Eastern Hill outside the citys walls, through the
bedrock of the Eastern Hill to the west side, where
Hezekiahs city of Jerusalem was expanding and
protected by the new Broad Wall.
After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done,

Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded
Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking
to conquer them for himself. When Hezekiah saw
that Sennacherib had come and that he intended
to make war on Jerusalem, he consulted with his
officials and military staff about blocking off the Toni ready to enter Hezekiah's Tunnel and the knee
water from the springs outside the city, and they deep water with her flashlight.
helped him. A large force of men assembled, and
they blocked all the springs and the stream that
flowed through the land. Why should the kings
of Assyria come and find plenty of water? they
said. Then he worked hard repairing all the broken
sections of the wall and building towers on it. He
built another wall outside that one and reinforced
the supporting terraces (Millo) of the City of David.
He also made large numbers of weapons and
shields. . . It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper
outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water
down to the west side of the City of David. He
succeeded in everything he undertook.
- 2 Chronicles 32:1-5, 30
As for the other events of Hezekiahs reign, all his

achievements and how he made the pool and the
tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are
they not written in the book of the annals of the
kings of Judah? - 2 Kings 20:20
Hezekiahs Tunnel is about 2 feet wide and 5 feet high

at the entrance near the Gihon Springs, as seen in this
photo. Notice the fresh water still moving through this
tunnel as it has for 2,700 years.

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The tunnel ceiling is only 5 feet high at the entrance, This tunnel was discovered by Edward Robinson in
but reaches 16 feet toward the end, near the Pool 1838 and was cleared by Montague Parkers team
of Siloam. The water is generally knee deep at the during the years 1909-1911. The water had continued
beginning but only to mid calf throughout the rest of the flowing through this tunnel for 2,000 years. In fact,
tunnel. At times the water in the tunnel can be chest before its rediscovery, people thought the water in the
deep, depending on the circumstances. area of the Pool of Siloam came from its own spring. It
was not until later that people realized the water in the
Pool of Siloam is actually water from the Gihon Springs
over a third of a mile away. Water still flows naturally
from the Gihon Springs today through Hezekiahs
Tunnel and to the Pool of Siloam.
The pick marks of Hezekiahs workers are still visible

on the rock walls and ceiling of this 1,750 foot tunnel.
Water moving along the floor through the 1/3 mile tunnel
Detail of a portion of the right side of the tunnel wall.
Detail of the ceiling that begins at about 5 feet high and A nice photo of the tunnel clearly showing the pick
ends a third of a mile later at 16 feet. Notice the pick marks, the sharp corners where the walls and ceiling
marks of Hezekiah's men that can still be seen in the meet, and the fresh moving, cool water on the floor of
bedrock under the City of David. the tunnel which comes above the ankles to mid-calf.

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A bend in the tunnel going left.
Here the tunnels weaves to the right.
Galyn Wiemers in Hezekiah's Tunnel Toward the end of the tunnel the ceiling reaches 16
feet high.

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Toni points to the place where an inscription etched in

the rock wall by Hezekiah's men was found in 1880. It
is called the Siloam Inscription and was engraved in
701 BC. It describes how two teams of workers cut the
tunnel, each coming from opposite ends, and when
they met the water began to flow.
The Siloam Inscription was written in 701 BC and

discovered in 1880. It was engraved in the wall of the
tunnel, but later chiseled out of the bedrock and taken
to a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. Inscribed by one
of Hezekiahs workmen near the western end of the
tunnel close to the Pool of Siloam, it reads:
[when] (the tunnel) was driven through. And this

was the way in which it was cut through: While [ . . . Stairs leading out of Hezekiahs Tunnel to an open channel,
] (were) still [ . . . ] axes, each man toward his fellow, through which the water flows into the Pool of Siloam.
and while there were still three cubits to be cut
through, [there was heard] the voice of a man calling The water in the channel flowing out of Hezekiahs
to his fellows, for there was an overlap in the rock on Tunnel has been considered sacred and was believed
the right [and on the left]. And when the tunnel was to have healing powers. A church was built over the site
driven through, the quarrymen hewed (the rock), by the empress Eudokia around 450 AD. This church,
each man toward his fellow, axe against axe; and along with most other churches of the Byzantine
the water flowed from the spring toward the reservoir Empire, was destroyed in 614 when the Persians
for 1200 cubits, and the height of the rock above the invaded the Holy Land and Jerusalem. The remains
heads of the quarrymen was 100 cubits. - Siloam of the bases of the pillars can be seen in the water of
Inscription, engraved in 701 BC this open channel. The Bordeaux pilgrim, who saw
this location in 333 AD, wrote that this pool had four
porches. In the 500s, after the Church of Siloam was
built by Eudokia, but before the Persians destroyed it, a
pilgrim from Piacenza wrote:
You descend by many steps to Siloam, and above

Siloam is a hanging basilica beneath which the
water of Siloam rises. Siloam has two basins
constructed of marble, which are separated
from each other by a screen. Men were in one
and women in the other to gain a blessing. In
these waters miracles take place, and lepers are
cleansed. In front of the court is a large man-made
pool and people are continually washing there;
for at regular intervals the spring sends a great
An imitation of the actual stone and the inscription that deal of water into the basins, which goes on down
was removed and taken to a museum in the valley of Gethsemane (which they also call
Istanbul, Turkey. Jehosaphat) as far as the River Jordan.

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A view of the open channel from the exit of Hezekiahs

A view of the open channel at the end of Hezekiahs Tunnel. The Pool of Siloam is just a few feet on the
Tunnel. This channel flows into the Pool of Siloam. other side of the gate that is seen at the end of the
The circular, or cylinder, remains of pillars are from a channel. Until 2005, the channel was identified as the
Byzantine church built on this site that was called the Pool of Siloam, but in 2005 the actual Pool of Siloam
Siloam Church. was uncovered accidentally by a city crew working on
the public sewer system. Today this water flows on
toward that pool.

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90

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Chapter 26
Middle Gate (586 BC, Babylonian Destruction)
In the Citadel near the Jaffa Gate fragmentary remains The area outside this gate, which suffered a great fire
of fortifications were found, which include a corner of a around that time, was littered with Babylonian and
massive tower with remains at 8 meters. This appears Israelite arrowheads.
to be part of a gate that belonged to the northern
defense system of Hezekiahs wall defending the
western expansion. The Babylonian generals met at
this gate in June of 586 BC. Jeremiah 39:3 calls this
the middle gate:
Then all the officials of the king of Babylon

came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer,
Sam-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergalsar-ezer the
Rab-mag... - Jeremiah 39:3

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Chapter 27
Nehemiahs Wall (445 BC, Exiles Return to Rebuild Temple and City)
A portion of the wall Nehemiah built in 445 BC. A portion of this wall was rebuilt by the
Hasmoneans. This is located on the east side of the City of David below the palace
and next to the Jebusites Stepped Stone Structure.

Jerusalem History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture D.28
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Section D: Maccabees and Hasmoneans

167- 40 BC, Revolt & Independence
Judas Maccabaeus took control of Jerusalem from the Citadel and the city, to cut the former off from the
Seleucid Empire in 164 BC. He cleansed the temple city and isolate it, to prevent the occupants from
and began to rebuild the city and its defenses that buying or selling. Rebuilding the city was a co-
same year. operative effort: part of the wall over the eastern
ravine had fallen down; he restored the quarter
In 160 BC Demetrius, King of the Seleucid Empire, called Chaphenatha. - 1 Maccabees 12:35-37
gave Jonathan Maccabaeus a letter which promoted
him, authorized him to raise an army and manufacture
By 141 BC Simeon Maccabaeus was able to oust the
weapons, and stated that he was considered an ally
Seleucid military and its supporters who had been
of the Seleucid Empire. The letter also ordered the
holed up in the Acra.
release of the Jewish hostages held by Seleucid troops
in the fortress called the Acra, which sat to the south
The occupants of the Citadel in Jerusalem (the
of the south wall of Solomons Temple Mount, attached
Acra), prevented as they were from coming out and
to the Temple Mount wall. The Acra had been used
going into the countryside to buy and sell, were
as a stronghold against the Jews during the entire
in desperate need of food, and numbers of them
Maccabean Revolt.
were being carried off by starvation. They begged
Simeon to make peace with them, and he granted
Jonathan went straight to Jerusalem and read the
this, though he expelled them and purified the
letter in the hearing of the whole people and of the
Citadel from its pollutions. . . . He (Simeon) fortified
men in the Citadel (Acra). They were terrified when
the Temple hill on the Citadel side, and took up
they heard that the king had given him authority to
residence there with his men.
raise an army. The men in the Citadel surrendered
- 1 Maccabees 13:49-52
the hostages to Jonathan, who handed them
back to their parents. Jonathan then took up
residence in Jerusalem and began the rebuilding Simeon and Hyrcanus I built the First Wall around the
and restoration of the city. He ordered those southern portion of the city on the western hill, which
responsible for the work to build the walls and the was called the Upper City. In 134-132 BC the Seleucids
defenses around Mount Zion of squared stone attacked Jerusalem but could not penetrate its walls.
blocks to make them stronger, and this was done. John Hyrcanus I signed a treaty with the attackers
- 1 Maccabees 10:7-11 which required the demolition of parts of Jerusalems
rebuilt fortifications. In return, the siege was lifted and
Jerusalem was recognized as an independent kingdom
Jonathan, on his return, called a meeting of the
by the Seleucids. Residences were then added in the
elders of the people and decided with them to build
north, and a Second Wall was built to protect the
fortresses in Judaea and to heighten the walls of
citizens there.
Jerusalem and erect a high barrier between the

Maccabees and Hasmoneans
94
Chapter 28
Walls and Towers
This diagram shows the location of Hasmonean wall

remains that are found in the line of the old First Wall.
This wall line ran from the Tower of Mariamme to the
east, including the portion of the wall in the photos We can see four things in the remains of this wall,
below. It reached the Western Wall of the Temple which is located in the northern part of the Jewish
Mount. Quarter: 1) It was part of the gate system that protected
the western section of the city on the north wall. The
entrance to the city is on the right of this photo; 2) The
remains of the wall built by the Hasmoneans around
150 BC can be seen in the stones at the bottom of
the photo; 3) To the left and down, the stones form a
straight seam which divides the wall into two sections
right and left, or west and east. The left section was the
base of a tower that guarded the gate; 4) The column
and its base, seen on the top of the wall, are from the
Byzantine street called the Roman Cardo from 140 AD.
Many of these Roman columns and much of the paved
Cardo street can still be seen running through the
Jewish Quarter.

95
The rocks of the Hasmonean tower to the left (west) of

the gate.
The Hasmonean wall in the Citadel continues south Looking from the top down on this same section of
under the present west wall of the city. It continues to wall. Here we can see the entrance to the city through
arch to the east (left in photo) and its remains can be the opening/gate in the bottom right of the photo, and
seen again in the Jewish Quarter today near the Broad the Roman Cardo column built over the wall 300
Wall in the Cardo (as seen in the photos above). years later.

96
A view of the west city wall of the Old City. The Hasmonean work mentioned in the caption of the Citadel
photo above continues south of the Citadel, and is visible in the lower stones of the wall on the right and left
sides of the tower. The tower itself was also built by the Hasmoneans and restored by Suleiman in 1535. The
Hasmonean stones can be seen in this tower setting on the bedrock to the height of eleven courses of ashlars.
The Hasmonean stones have margins cut around the edges and rough boss in the middle of each block. The
Hasmoneans carved this same look into the bedrock (seen behind the horse at the bottom middle of the photo)
to create an appearance of stone work to match the stones they used to build the tower above.
A close-up of the Hasmonean ashlar stones in the west

wall of the Old City. Notice the margins cut smooth
around the edges and the rough boss in the middle
decorating the face of each block.
The tall straight wall with the corner is a portion of

Nehemiahs wall from 445 BC that the Hasmoneans
re-built around 150 BC on the east side of the City of
David. The Stepped Stone Structure is to the right in
this photo. Some of the retaining walls from 1200 BC
can also be seen in the bottom right of this photo.

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Chapter 29
Hasmonean Aqueduct
These pools of water, which are accessed through the

Western Wall Tunnels, are located at the northwest
corner of Herods Temple Mount. They were open
reservoirs in the days of the Hasmoneans and
connected to the aqueduct. The water was used as a
moat on the north side of Fort Antonia in Herods day.
In 135 AD, Hadrian built arched supports and vaults
over these pools and used them as cisterns with a
marketplace built over the tops of the arched vaults on
the street level above.
The Hasmonean aqueduct cut into the bedrock in

150 BC is located north of the northwest corner of the
Temple Mount. It brought water into the city from the
pools located in the area. In 19 BC, Herod expanded
the Temple Mount northward to include this area. At
that time, the aqueduct was cut into, and the water was
redirected. The walls and floor of this aqueduct have
been worn smooth by water.
The arch and vaulted ceiling built by Hadrian over the

Hasmonean water reservoirs.

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Chapter 30
Acra
The Acra was the Seleucid stronghold built in 186 BC
against the south wall of Solomons Temple Mount on
the Ophel. It was used as a military post against the
Jewish people who lived to the south and west, and to
monitor Temple Mount activities between the years of
186-141 BC. At that time the Acra was torn down, and
the Temple Mount was extended to the south to cover it
up in 141 BC. Two tunnels with staircases were added
during this southern extension to increase access to
the Temple Mount surface. These tunnels would be
extended and accessed by Herods Double and Triple
Gates later.
Remains of the southernmost walls of the Acra, which still extend south of the southern Temple Mount wall
between the large stairway leading up to the Double and Triple Gates.

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Chapter 31
Hasmonean Temple Mount Extension
This is a photo of the east wall of the Temple Mount. The straight seam (visible in the center of the photo, from the
bottom of the wall up through the first six courses of the stones) is at the south end of the east wall. In the right
half of this photo (from the straight seam to the right edge) are stones from the Hasmonean addition to the Temple
Mount wall. The second extension to the left (south) of the Hasmonean extension was done by Herod beginning in
19 BC. These southern additions covered up most of the remains of the Seleucid fortress called the Acra.

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Chapter 32
Tombs in the Kidron
Since the Jews would not bury their dead inside the The tombs in the Kidron Valley shown in the photos
city walls, Jerusalem is surrounded by tombs. There below were present in the days of Jesus, who would
are tombs to the west in the Hinnom Valley, tombs have walked past them many times and constantly
to the south where the Hinnom and Kidron Valleys viewed them whenever his eyes scanned the Kidron
meet, tombs to the north of todays Old City walls Valley or the Mount of Olives. He even spoke about
and, of course, tombs to the east in the Kidron Valley them in the Gospels, calling them beautiful when he
where the Messiah is to appear to raise the dead, addressed the religious leaders on the Temple Mount:
judge mankind and enter his Temple on Mount Moriah.
During the days of the Hasmoneans, Hellenistic culture Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees,
influenced the building of elaborate tombs, and this you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,
practice continued into the days of the New Testament. which look beautiful on the outside but on the
Eight hundred tombs from the time of Herod have inside are full of dead mens bones and everything
been discovered within a 3 mile radius around the city. unclean. - Matthew 23:27
Jesus was buried in a tomb that was being cut for a
Sanhedrin member outside the city walls to the west.
Three tombs are visible in this photo taken from the eastern wall of the Temple Mount. 1) To the left is a tomb with two
Doric columns identified as belonging to a family of priests by an inscription inside the tomb that mentions the "sons of
Hezir; 2) In the middle is a tomb known as Zechariahs Tomb (about 30 people in the Bible are called Zechariah); 3)
To the far right, south of "Zechariahs Tomb, is an unfinished tomb cut in the rock.

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Here is a close up of the tomb belonging to a family of priests named Bene Hezir (or, sons of Hezir). 1 Chronicles
34:1 and 15 mention a priest named Hezir from the line of Aaron serving in the days of David. An inscription written in
Hebrew found on the tomb says: This is the tomb and the monument of Alexander, Hanniah, Yoezer, Judah, Simon,
Johanan, the sons of Joseph son of Oved. Joseph and Eliezer sons of Hanniah priests of the Hezir family. The
inscription mentions a monument that may have been located to the left of the tomb entrance on the wall.
This tomb, known as Zechariah's Tomb, was cut during the life of Jesus.

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Zechariah's Tomb is a cube cut out
of the rock with Ionic pilasters and a
pyramid top. "A" in the photo marks
a corridor with steps that provides
access to the tomb of the Hezir
family to the left. "B" marks a small
chamber cut under the base to
serve as a tomb. To the right (south)
is a tomb that was never finished.
This monument (called Zechariahs
Tomb) may have been built to
honor those who would be buried in
the unfinished tomb to the south.
An unfinished tomb cut in the rock

to the south of "Zechariahs Tomb ".

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This tomb is just a little further north of the three
previously mentioned tombs in the Kidron Valley. It
was constructed during Jesus lifetime. Today it is
traditionally called the Pillar of Absalom or Absaloms
Monument. The Bordeaux Pilgrim referred to it as the
Tomb of Hezekiah in 333 AD. It was first associated
with Absalom by Benjamin of Tudela in 1170 because of
2 Samuel 18:18. The actual person or family for whom
this tomb was prepared is unknown. The architectural
style includes both Egyptian and Greek influences,
which would have come from the two kingdoms that
dominated Judea between 300-100 BC. The Egyptian
influence came from the Ptolemys of Egypt, and
the Hellenistic style from the Seleucids, who were
Greeks ruling in Syria. The lower square is cut from
the bedrock. It is topped with a finely-cut circular stone
with a conical top that was cut from one single stone.
Directly to the left of this tomb is an eight-chambered
catacomb with well-preserved carved stone. The
catacomb is called the Cave of Jehoshaphat. The Pillar
of Absalom may have been a monument for the burial
chambers in the Cave of Jehoshaphat, cut into the cliff
behind it. There are two inscriptions in this monument.
A two-line inscription above the door is from around
400 AD that says: This is the tomb of Zachary, martyr,
most holy priest, father of John the Baptist. A later
inscription can be seen to the right of the door but only
the word simon can be made out. Neither inscription is
historically valuable or accurate.
This tomb is further south

under the village of Silwan
and is known as the Tomb of
Pharaoh's Daughter. This tomb
was cut during, or right after,
the Hasmonean age but is
unidentified. Originally this tomb,
which looks like a small house,
was topped with a pyramid roof
cut from a single rock. Sometime
after 700 AD the pyramid roof
was cut up into blocks to be
reused. The process caused
great damage to the tomb. More
damage was caused by a hermit
who used this tomb as a home.
There was an ancient Hebrew
inscription in the upper left corner
of the entrance, but now only two
letters remain. The rest of the
inscription was destroyed when
the hermit widened the doorway.

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Section E: New Testament

Chapter 33
Herods Building Projects and Ashlar Stones
Herod the Great was king in Jerusalem under the the Temple was finished, nothing in the Roman world
Roman Empire from 37 to 4 BC. Herods colorful could equal it. The Temple building stood higher than
career was highlighted by the wide range of buildings fifteen stories and was made out of marble and gold.
he constructed in Jerusalem for a variety of reasons. The temple wall and retaining wall were constructed
Herods ambition to fulfill his architectural dreams out of limestone blocks called ashlars. The typical
overcame not only financial and political opposition, but building of this time during Herods extensive building
he also ingeniously overcame every natural obstacle projects were built with what are known as Herodian
with innovative solutions. In Jerusalem, Herod built a ashlars.
theater, an amphitheater called the Hippodrome, the
Antonia Fortress, aqueducts, and paved streets. For Ashlars are large stone blocks cut smooth, with narrow
himself, Herod built a luxurious palace with highly- margins around the edges and smooth slightly raised
decorated towers and walls surrounding the complex, bosses in the center. They are easy to identify and
which included reception halls, royal apartments, a locate in the Western Wall and in the rest of the
fortress for his personal guard, fountains, gardens
and bath houses. Herod decorated his buildings by
employing talented artisans who produced beautiful
mosaics and frescos. He even adapted the Jewish
mikveh (ritual bath) for use as a Roman-style
bathhouse.
Despite all these wonders, the rebuilding of the Temple

and the doubling of the size of the Temple Mount were
Herods most memorable architectural projects. When
Detail showing the tight joints of these Herodian ashlar

stones found in the tunnel along the Western Wall.
The ashlars were stacked on top of each other with
surfaces cut to a perfect match. No mortar, cement
or adhesive was used to attach the ashlar blocks to
each other. They still stand after 2,000 years, but
the fact that they were not attached to each other
with mortar makes it easier to understand how the
A Herodian ashlar located in the east side of the Romans dismantled the Temple. When Jesus spoke
Temple Mount wall. The 2 to 3 inch edge that is cut of the Temple he said, not one stone here will be left
about 1/2 inch deep is called the margin. The raised on another; every one will be thrown down (Matthew
center of the block is called the boss. This ashlar has a 24:2). These stones remain from the very base of the
smooth boss. Some ashlars had an uneven, or course, Temple Mount wall. Notice that each course of ashlars
boss as did many ashlars used in the Hasmonean was set back inch to help stabilize the wall. They
construction. were not stacked evenly. Also notice the smooth-cut 2
inch margin around the edge of each ashlar.

Jerusalem History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture E.33
105
Temple Mount wall. Many can be seen in other walls
and buildings throughout the city as well, having been
reused for the last 2,000 years since the Romans
toppled the temple and much of its retaining wall.
Another stone design used by Herods builders is the
simple plain and smooth rectangular block. This design
is more difficult for the average visitor to identify.
A very large corner stone with margin and boss,

located on the southwest corner of the Temple Mount.
This southwest corner has some of the largest ashlar
stones of the entire Temple Mount complex, measuring
39 feet 4 inches long by 7 feet 10 inches wide and 43
inches high. The large stone shown here is called the
master course stone and weighs about 80 tons. All
these stones form a strong corner as they alternate
back and forth as headers and stretchers all the way
up. The larger stones helped stabilize the smaller
stones stacked below.
Four courses of original Herodian ashlars can be seen

on the Western Wall of the Temple Mount.
Looking east at another cornerstone on the southwest

corner. The pavement and steps are original Herodian
pavement placed here in the first century. The
pavement and steps continued along this south wall
of the Temple Mount. They will be seen again at the
Double and Triple Gates further down this wall.

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Some of the largest ashlars are found in the southwest

corner of the Temple Mount wall. These stones weigh
as much as 80 tons and are about 40 feet long, 8
feet wide and 3.5 feet tall. As seen in this photo, the
workers used what is called header and stretcher
This Cornerstone is about 33 feet long, 7 feet wide and construction where the stones are laid west and south
3 feet tall. It weighs about 50 tons. in an alternating pattern. Because of the great size of
the stones and this style of interlocking construction,
all the corners of Herods Temple have been preserved
to a great height the Romans were unable to move
them. This southwest corner has been preserved to the
height of twelve Herodian courses of original ashlars;
eight are visible here and the other four courses can be
seen in photos above. Notice the edge of Robinsons
Arch on the left side of the photo.
Details of the original perfectly tight horizontal

and vertical joints. The workmanship of Herods
construction team still maintains its impressive quality, Looking up at the Western Wall on the Western Wall
even after setting in the middle of all the wars and prayer plaza.
activities in Jerusalem for the past 2,000 years.

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An ashlar in the eastern wall. Estimates by experts tell

us that 200 workers could produce about eight cubic
meters of cut stone each day. That means one cubic
meter of stone ashlar would require about 120 hours of
labor to cut and dress.
Ashlars were placed in rollers like this to be moved to
location. This was one of several ways the stones
were moved. Stones were also pulled by teams of
oxen on rollers.
The tight horizontal joints of ashlars setting on top of

each other in the Temple Mount wall.
This is an example of a stone on rollers. The stone

would be pulled by a team of oxen attached to a
harness connected to the ashlar by projections of
rock left uncut on both sides. On the next page are
The margins, the raised bosses with the smooth face, photos of projections left on the ashlar stones by
and the tight joints in Herod's Temple Mount wall. Herods workers.

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Galyn points at a projection left on an ashlar. These rock projections (one on both sides of the block) would have
served as handles for the workers to attach ropes in order to pull and then lift the ashlar block into place. Several
ashlars on the south and east side (particularly in the southeast corner) of the Temple Mount can still be seen.
An ashlar and its uncut projection on the south side of

the wall on the southeast corner.
This A framed crane is an example of how the blocks

were manipulated into place once they arrived at the
construction site. If Herods people worked from the
inside of the retaining wall they were building, they did
not have to lift the blocks to the top of the Temple Mount.
The workers would simply build the first course of
ashlars, add the fill, and then use the fill as a surface to
pull, roll, or drag the next ashlar into place. The ropes of
the crane would have connected to the ashlar using the
projections left on the face and the inside of the stone.
The hoist would only have to raise the ashlar slightly
for it to be positioned, if it were setting on the inside on
the fill at the same level as the first course. When the
second course was complete, fill would be added to
bring the inside surface level with the second course,
and the third course would begin from the inside.

109
Toni stands by the only visible course of Herodian

ashlars on the south wall of the Temple Mount. The
courses of stones above it are not Herodian. The
Romans dismantled the southern wall down to this
course. Notice that this course of ashlars (also seen
below) is twice as tall as the other ashlars we have
seen (about 6 feet instead of 3 feet). The Double Gate
is to the left (west) of this photo and the Triple Gate is
to the right (east).
The stone on the top is the Master Course Stone found

in the Western Wall Tunnels. Notice again the 1/2 inch
set back as each course is stacked on the other. We
will see more later about this stone, possibly the largest
stone in the Temple Mount wall. The rectangular
notches were cut at a later time when this wall was
used as part of an underground cistern. Plaster needed
to be applied to the entire cistern in order to make it
watertight. Holes were cut in the stones to keep the
plaster attached, and long stones (as seen above)
were placed in each hole. The plaster (also seen to the
These ashlars along the southern wall of the Temple right above) was then applied to the wall. In this photo
Mount between the Double Gate and the Triple Gate you can see the Herodian Ashlars, the rectangular
are twice the height of the other Herodian courses. holes, the long brick-shaped stone placed in the hole,
These were a stabilizing band known as the and a very thick layer of plaster attached to the ashlars
great course. and strengthened by the stone connector.

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Chapter 34
Herods Temple Mount
This is a diagram of the retaining walls that created todays Temple Mount. The Ark of the Covenant was located
on the exposed bedrock, which is still visible under the Dome of the Rock. The original platform for the Temple
Mount that served Solomons Temple was 500 cubits by 500 cubits (861 feet x 861 feet). This is designated by
the inside square walls labeled Solomons Original Platform Wall. This square was filled in, and the Temple of
the Old Testament stood there. The Hasmoneans extended the Temple Mount to the south by adding about 134
feet. At the point that the Hasmoneans began to build on the eastern Temple Mount wall there is a slight bend in
the wall. This bend is slight but can be seen drifting slightly towards the east. That bend begins at the 500 cubit
(861 foot) mark. The Herodian addition to the Temple Mount platform, or the distance from the southeast corner
to the Straight Joint, is 105.5 feet. The Straight Joint is a very visible straight line created by courses of stones
butted up against the Hasmonean stones on the east Temple Mount wall by Herod the Great when he began to
expand the Temple Mount in 19 BC.

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A model of Herod's Temple.
Details of a model showing the northeast corner of the Temple Mount in Jesus day.

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112
Details of the south wall of the Herodian Temple

Mount. Notice the stairway, the Double Gate, and the
Triple Gate. All of them are visible yet today. Also, the
base of the stairway leading to Robinsons arch has
been identified by archaeologists.
Several details of Herod's Temple are

included in this diagram:
1) staircase and gate near the straight
joint (bottom right);
2) the Double and Triple Gates with their
tunneled entrance and stairs leading up
to the Temple Mount (the Triple Gate
may be the Beautiful Gate of Acts 3;
the tunnels and stairway still exist, but
are inaccessible to non-Muslims);
3) Robinsons Arch, stairway and gate
(still visible today);
4) Barclays Gate (top lintel visible today);
5) Wilsons Arch;
6) Warrens Gate (visible today in the
Western Wall Tunnels) which is the
closest the Jews can get to the Most
Holy Place. Warrens Gate still has a
stairway and tunnel that still lead up
to the Temple Mount, but it has been
blocked.

113
This photo is looking at the southern wall on the right and the Western Wall on the left. The original Western Wall
of Herod seen at the Western Wall Plaza today is the portion of the wall from where the white line makes contact
with the Western Wall and down. These are the stones that are still visible and remain from Herods wall.

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Chapter 35
Northeast End of Eastern Temple Mount Wall
The distance from the "Offset Stone" (NE corner) to the Hasmonean bend (SE corner) is 500 cubits along the
east wall. The distance from this same "Offset Stone" to the corner of the northwest stairway, that does not set
parallel with the Muslim platform, is 500 cubits along what would have been the north wall.

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Chapter 36
Southeast End of Eastern Temple Mount Wall
This is the southern end of the eastern city wall. It is

clear where the Hasmoneans added on to Solomon's
walls since there is a slight bend in the wall at this
location. It is also very clear where Herod added onto
the Hasmonean walls since the blocks do not overlap
but instead have a straight joint where Herods ashlar
blocks butt up against the Hasmonean blocks. This
portion of the east wall also serves as the east side of
the Temple Mount wall. The dotted white line across
the surface of the Temple Mount indicates where
Solomons platform (500 cubits by 500 cubits) would
have ended in the south. The dotted black line across
the surface is how far the Hasmoneans extended the
Temple Mount to the south. This would have covered
over a portion of the Seleucid Acra fortress. Herod
then extended the Temple from the dotted black line
(or, the straight joint) to the present southern wall
which includes the Double and Triple Gate. This is
the Beautiful Gate where Peter healed the crippled
beggar in Acts 3.

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There are several things to notice in this photo:

1. Galyn points at the Straight Joint that was formed when Herod added onto the southern side of the Temple
Mount in 19 BC. The Hasmonean ashlar stones can be seen on the right with their margins and their course
bosses. To the left of the straight joint Herodian ashlar stones can be seen. The Herodian ashlars also have a
margin cut on them, but the bosses have been cut smooth.
2. The Hasmonean stones were clearly built as a corner, since the corner edge was worn off and chipped before
it was enclosed into the wall in 19 BC. This is also clear from the fact that the stones were laid as headers and
stretchers (i.e., the direction of the longer length of the stones alternate as they go up the corner). For example,
the stone behind Galyns head is long on the outside, but the one above it runs long to the inside.
3. Notice that once the wall reaches about the ninth course the stones change and the seam is no longer visible.
This is because this wall was dismantled by the Romans in 70 AD to about that level. Over the years the wall
above the ninth course has been rebuilt by a variety of people with a variety of stones.
4. To the left at about the ninth row, the remains of an arch and gate from the days of Herod can be seen. This
would be very similar in style to Robinsons arch on the west side of the Temple Mount, directly opposite this one.

117
This is the south end of the eastern

Temple Mount wall. A stairway led
up to a gate that took worshippers to
the surface of the Temple Mount. The
projected ashlars to the left (south) of
this photo indicate the position of a
tower. The location of three windows in
the tower can be seen in other photos.
This is a close up of the wall above and

the location of an eastern arched gate at
the top of a stairway. It can be thought
of as the eastern walls version of
Robinson's arch found on the west side.

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This photo is the view looking
north from the southeast corner
outside the Temple Mount wall.
At the point of the arrow, the wall
bends and begins to drift to the
east (right) at the place where
the Hasmoneans added onto the
existing Temple Mount wall.
View of the southeast corner of

the Temple Mount. This is where
Satan tempted Jesus to jump. In
26 AD there would have been a
high tower at the top of this corner.

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Chapter 37
Western Wall of the Temple Mount
The Western Wall
The entire west side of the Temple Mount retaining wall large plaza area where the seven courses (or layers)
can be called the western wall (1,600 feet), but there of stones of the retaining wall of Herod's Temple Mount
is a section of this wall that is commonly called the can still be seen.
Western Wall. It is a 187 foot section of the wall with a

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The Western Wall at the Western Wall Prayer Plaza.

This is also known as the Kotel or "Wall". Kotel ha-
Ma'aravi means "Western Wall."
There are 17 courses of Herodian ashlars still buried

at the Western Wall. The bottom course is 50 feet
wide. Seven courses from Herods retaining wall are
presently visible above ground. The 21 courses on
top of those 7 Herodian courses are, from lowest to
highest:
1. Four Courses added in the 600's by
Umayyads.
2. Fourteen layers added in 1866 during the
Ottoman period A typical midnight in June at the Western Wall Prayer
3. Three courses added before 1967 by the Plaza. Wilsons Arch is to the left and the ramp for
Sunni Muslim cleric in charge of Jerusalem's non-Muslim entrance to the Temple Mount through
Islamic holy places. the Morocco Gate is to the right. The mens section is
the larger portion to the left and the womens prayer
Some interesting facts about the Western Wall: section can be seen to the right next to the ramp. There
1. The wall consists of a total of 45 courses of stone is a thin five foot wall called a mehitza separating the
with 17 still underground and 28 above ground. mens and womens sections.
2. The overall height of the wall from the foundation
to the top is 105 feet. Before the plaza was built in front of the Western Wall,
3. 43 feet of the wall (17 courses) remains buried there was nothing but a 12-foot-wide alley running
below the level of the plaza. along this area. It ran for about 92 feet. After the war of
4. 62 feet of the wall is above ground. 1967 the Jews removed buildings and expanded the
plaza. Excavation work has exposed much of this west
wall of the temple mount to the south. An additional
section called the Small Western Wall can also be seen
in the Muslim Quarter.

121
Compare the section of Herodian ashlars in the small photo from today with the same stones seen in the model of
the 70 AD Temple Mount. Notice how high todays pavement is and how much of the wall is still buried under rubble.
of the western wall, located in the tunnels cut along
the base of the wall (below the surface to the left of
this photo), one stone weighs 570 tons and is 44.6 feet
long and almost 11 feet wide. This stone is called the
Master Course.
The men's section of the Western Wall Prayer Plaza.
The Herodian stones in the Western Wall are limestone

ashlars that were likely quarried from Solomon's
Quarries (Zedekiah's Cave), located today under the
Muslim Quarter in the Old City. The average stone
weighs between two and eight tons and is about 15
feet wide. Each stone has finely chiseled borders cut
around the edges a little more than 1/2 an inch deep
and between 2-8 inches wide. In the northern section Jewish men praying at the Western Wall.

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Four entrances or gates to the
ancient Temple Mount can still
be identified and seen along the
Western Wall:
1. Barclays Gate
2. Warrens Gate
3. Wilsons Arch
4. Robinsons Arch
Looking up the Western Wall.
Notice the tourist, the orthodox

Jews, a Jewish man, an Israeli
soldier, and others at the wall.
All the stones in this photo are
Herodian ashlars placed here
by Herods workers.

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Chapter 38
Western Wall Tunnels
When Herod doubled the size of the Old Testament
Temple Mount he expanded to the north, to the south
and to the west. The walls along the west side were set
on the bedrock. The west wall of the Temple Mounts
retaining wall is 1,591 feet long, making it the longest
of the four Temple Mount walls. In 70 AD the Romans
completely destroyed the Temple, the Temple Mount
buildings, and most of the Temple Mount wall except for
the lower portions that were buried in the rubble from
the debris of the dismantled Temple precincts and walls
above. From the Western Wall Prayer Plaza beside
Wilsons Arch a tunnel can be entered that runs along
the northern portion of the west wall up to its northwest
corner.
A vaulted passageway entered from the Western Wall

Prayer Plaza. It leads to Wilsons Arch and the tunnels
along the northern portion of the Western Wall.

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The Master Course Stone: This stone is 44 feet long,

11.5 feet high, and 15 feet wide. It is estimated to
weigh 570-630 tons. This stone is the master course. Galyn in the Western Wall tunnels by largest Herodian
It was used to stabilize the smaller stones under it. ashlar in the Temple Mount walls.
It sits 20 feet above the Herodian street level and 33
feet above the bedrock. The master course extends
to the left of the edge of this photo and past the right
edge. The small stones setting above were used to
fill in where the Romans chipped away at it in 70 AD,
attempting to dismantle the whole Western Wall. They
reached the level of this Master Course Stone and
stopped. The rectangular holes in the stone were bored
centuries later to help secure plaster to the wall in
order to create an underground cistern to hold water for
the homes above.
The rectangle holes in the ashlar were cut around 135

AD when Hadrian converted this area under the rubble
into cisterns. The rectangle holes where cut so that
wooden blocks or stones could be inserted into them to
help secure the plaster to the walls. The plaster made
the walls of the cisterns watertight. Some plaster can
Another view of the Master Course Stone. still be seen attached to part of the wall.

125
A close look at the ashlar with the wooden (stone)

block holding the plaster in place in the Western
Wall tunnel.
This is a photo of Warren's Gate that was used to

access the Temple Mount. Notice the decorative
engraving on the door jamb on the right side of the
photo (the straight groove beginning by the number
12). Warrens Gate is about 150 feet into the Western
Wall Tunnel. The paving stones are from the original
Herodian street that led to this gate. On the other side
of this blocked gateway is a stairway under the Temple
Mount leading up to the Temple Mount surface, which
the Jews used in the Middle Ages as a synagogue
Looking north down the long Western Wall Tunnel. called The Cave.
Warrens Gate was discovered in 1867 by Charles Maimonides wrote in The Book of Temple Service
Warren. The single stone that makes the gates in the 1100s: When Solomon built the Temple,
threshold is original from Herods Temple. Warrens knowing that it was destined to be destroyed, he built
Gate led to a tunnel and a staircase that worshippers underneath, in deep and winding tunnels, a place
could use to ascend to the Temple Mount. The Jews in which to hide the Ark. It was King Josiah who
continued to use this gate and tunnel as a synagogue commanded the Ark be hidden in the place which
until the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem in 1099 Solomon had prepared. Second Chronicles 35:3 might
and banned them from entering Jerusalem. In 1187 refer to Josiah removing the Ark of the Covenant from
Saladin made the area inaccessible. This is the nearest the Temple to the hiding place Solomon had made,
point the Jews can get to the Most Holy Place. It is before the Babylonian invasion: And he said to the
also believed to be the hiding place of the Ark of the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the
Covenant. Lord, Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon the
son of David, king of Israel, built.

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Just a few feet north of Warrens Gate is an area with

an arch that is directly west of the Holy of Holies where
the Ark of the Covenant sat. This is the closest the
Jews can get to the Holy of Holies today. Warrens
Gate can be seen on the right edge of this photo just The tunnel continues further and further to the north
down the steps. The pavement in this photo is original along the Western Wall.
Herodian.
This photo was taken from the tunnel along the Western Wall looking down into an excavated area of the wall.
(The Western Wall is to the top of the photo.) This view shows how deep the courses of ashlar stones go before
they reach bedrock.

127
Another view looking down at the ashlars. Details of

the preserved stones show the quality of workmanship
that is not seen on stones that have been exposed to
wars and elements for 2,000 years. Notice, the depth is More tunnel and more ashlars as we continue toward
not as great as before since the bedrock level rises the the north.
further north the tunnel goes.
A Herodian street near the north end of the Western Wall tunnels. The two pillars on the left were part of a
colonnaded street that ran to the west of this street. This photo was taken looking north with the Western Wall on
the right. This Herodian street would have run north-to-south, and the colonnaded street would have made a T
intersection with it and run toward the west (left).

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128
Galyn at the T intersection of the Herodian street at the north end of the Western Wall tunnels.
This quarry, only a few feet north of the Herodian road and
the Hasmonean cistern, is where most of the Herodian stones
for the Western Wall were taken from.
This is the Hasmonean Aqueduct cut through

bedrock. It goes to the pool on the northwest corner
of the western wall of the Temple Mount. The bedrock
walls have been worn smooth by the water.

129
Toni stands on the Herodian pavement between two

pillars that are part of the road that led to the left of the
picture. 2,000 years ago this area was under open sky, Toni stands by an unfinished quarried stone. Wooden
and the road continued straight (north) and to the left blocks would have been wedged into the groove in the
(west). Other pillars going west have been excavated middle and then soaked with water to make the stone
further down the road that would have been in line with split.
these two pillars.
The tunnels continue through the Hasmonean
aqueduct to the cisterns on the northwest corner
of the Temple Mount.

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130
North of the Western Wall and Temple Mount
In 1996 Benjamin Netanyahu allowed the Jews to open

the northern end of this Western Wall tunnel. When
the tunnel was blasted through, it opened onto the
Ummariya Madrasah, which is the street adjacent to
the Via Dolorosa. This action resulted in riots by the
Muslims who believed that the Jews were tunneling
under the Temple Mount and that they were attempting
to lay claim to the area of territory in the Muslim
Quarter (which is, either way, in Israel and under Israeli
control). Over the next two weeks 14 people were killed
in the riots protesting the opening of the north end of
the Western Wall Tunnel. Today a wall has been built
across the north end of the tunnel. The Tunnel must
now be accessed from the north side in the Convent
of the Sisters of Zion. The Struthion Pool lies below
this covenant.
Walking through a water system that Herod redirected

to the Temple Mount.

131
The Struthion Pool was an open pool that served as The vaulted ceiling installed by Hadrian in 135 to cover
a water reservoir for the city and as a moat for Fort the open pools of water. The holes in the roof where
Antonia. It collected rain water and also received water used by people above to access the water by lowering
from the Hasmonean aqueduct. buckets on ropes. Hadrian built a market place at street
level above these vaulted ceilings.

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Chapter 39
Mikvah, the Ritual Baths
The word mikvah (also, mikveh, mikva, miqve)
means collection and refers to a collection of
water that was used by the Jews for ceremonial
washing. They are ritual baths. The Jews would
purify themselves before several activities or after
certain events that made them unclean. Conversion
to Judaism requires submersion into a mikvah.
The area around the Temple Mount, especially to

the south, is filled with mikvah. Many of them were
most likely used on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2)
to baptize the converted Jews in Jesus name. It
signified a major change in their understanding of
who Jesus was and was a sign of their new faith
and allegiance. A mikvah had to have a source of
running water, such as a spring, or fresh water, such
A first century mikvah used during the days of Jesus
as rain. A mikvah had to be large enough to allow an
and the book of Acts, located south of the Temple Mount
average sized person to immerse his whole body.
at the base of the Double Gate stairs. This could easily
Stairs would be used to descend into and ascend
have been one of the many mikvah used to baptize
from the mikvah. Often there was a wall separating
some of the 3,000 new Jewish believers on the Day of
the clean side from the unclean side.
Pentecost as described in Acts 2.
Galyn and Toni in the entrance of a mikvah on the outside of the southern wall of the Old City.

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Chapter 40
Large Mikvah
In 2009 a large 2,000-year-old mikvah was uncovered
along the Western Wall Tunnel only 65 feet from the
Western Wall itself. This was one of the largest mikvah
ever discovered. It has 11 steps and was used by the
multitude of Jews entering the Temple Mount near
Wilsons Arch or Warrens Gate.
Joesphus wrote that the Jewish governments

administrative center was located in this area at the
foot of the Temple on the west side. The Talmud says
that the Sanhedrin would meet in this building. This
highly decorated mikvah has the architectural and
artistic style of some of Herods most magnificent
works with finely dressed ashlar stones and the highest
quality craftsmanship in decorating. This could be part
of the Sanhedrins governmental building as well as
their ritual bath.
Looking down on the large mikvah discovered in 2009
just 65 feet west of the Temple Mounts Western Wall.

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Chapter 41
Wilsons Arch
Wilsons Arch on the Western Wall as it would have

looked in the days of the New Testament.
Wilsons Arch is the modern name for an arch that

spanned 42 feet and supported a road that ran 75
feet above the Herodian pavement and valley below.
The road at the top of Wilsons Arch accessed a gate
which was level with the surface of the Temple Mount
in Jesus day. Although the arch stood high above the
Herodian pavement, only the top is still visible today,
where it is still supported against the Western Wall.
Josephus mentions the bridge that this arch was a
part of and says it connected the Temple Mount to the
Upper City on the Western Hill on the other side of the
Central (Tyropoeon) Valley. This bridge also carried
water through an aqueduct to the Temple Mount from
Solomons Pools. The arch was identified in 1864 by Wilson's Arch can be seen in the corner of the Western
Charles Wilson. Wall (top center of the photo). Today the height from
the bottom of the arch to the pavement below is only
20 feet. In 30 AD the height was 75 feet.

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Stones from inside and under

Wilsons arch. The original pavement
would have been about 50 feet lower
than it is now.
Prayer under Wilson's Arch beside a

wooden cabinet which contains large
scrolls of the Torah.

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Chapter 42
Warrens Gate
Warrens Gate was one of four entrances into the
Temple Mount from the west side. It is located
about 150 feet into the Western Wall Tunnel. On
the other side of this now blocked gate is a tunnel
and a staircase that lead up to the surface of the
Temple Mount. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire
(Christians), the Muslim conquerors allowed the
Jews to pray in this tunnel, and the Jews created a
synagogue here at the base of the stairs below the
Temple Mount. But, in 1099 the Crusaders (Christians)
destroyed the synagogue, which the Jews had called
the Cave, and turned it into a cistern. This was the
closest gate to the Holy of Holies.
Toni stands at a point in the Western Wall tunnel that

is the closest location to the Holy of Holies available to
the Jews. About 15 steps behind her and down a flight
of stairs is Warren's Gate. In July of 1981 a riot erupted
here between the Jewish archaeologists excavating
this tunnel and some Muslims who came down from
the Temple Mount through the stairway leading to
Warrens Gate. A few Jews had begun removing
stones that blocked Warrens Gate and the noise
alerted the Muslims on the Temple Mount above.
The gate post, or jamb, on the lower right dates from
the time of Herod's Temple. The gate has since been
blocked shut. This northernmost gate of Herods
Temple is known today as Warrens Gate, discovered
by Charles Warren, the British archaeologist who
worked in Jerusalem under an association called the
Palestine Exploration Fund in the 1800s.

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Chapter 43
Barclays Gate
This gate was first recognized by James Barclay, The gate used to enter the Temple Mount today is
an American consul in 1855. It is referred to as the above the lintel of Barclays Gate and is called the
Kiponus Gate in the Mishna. Moroccans Gate, the Gate of the Moors, or the
Mugrabi Gate.
This large stone (which looks like a square) is itself

about 21 feet long, 6.5 feet wide, and weighs 50 tons.
This stone was the massive lintel (or, top stone) that
spanned a gate into the temple of Herod's day. The
gate entrance was almost 27 feet high. The building
to the right was attached to the Western Wall and was The stairway is still on the other side of the wall and
originally part of a ramp that led to the Mugrabi Gate, still leads to the Temple Mount. This staircase is
which was above Barclay's Gate. The lintel can be accessed from the Temple Mount just north of the
seen from the inside of the building. Mugrabi Gate. The Muslims descend these stairs today
to a room they call El-Buraq Mosque.
Below the lintel, before the building was added, the

gate was closed in with smaller stones

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Chapter 44
Robinsons Arch
Robinson's Arch is on the south end
of the western wall. It supported
a staircase that led up to a gate
into the Temple Mount. The arch
is named after Edward Robinson,
the American scholar who first
identified it in 1838. What remains
of this arch is about 39 feet north
of the southwest corner of the
Temple Mount wall, and it measures
about 50 feet long. In 1867 Charles
Warren located the large pier built
on the bedrock 41 feet directly
west of the arch, which is also
50 feet long.
The southwest corner of the

Temple Mount. The remains of
where Robinson's Arch made
contact with the Western Wall can
still be seen. The entrance gate
would have been directly
above this.
Details of a model
showing the southwest
corner of the Temple
Mount. The staircase
leading up to
Robinson's Arch can be
seen near the middle.
The arches under the
stairs were shops.
These shops and others
along the Western
Wall directly under
Robinson's Arch and
gate have been located
and excavated.

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is the point at which the arch begins to rise from its
support). The groove seen along the wall running
below Robinson's Arch on both the west and south
walls was cut into the Herodian ashlars by the Muslim
Umayyad Dynasty between the years 651 and 750.
The Muslims used these grooves to hold pipes that
supplied water to the buildings constructed to the
south of the Temple Mount. The walls of one of those
buildings can be seen in the right of this photo directly
behind the Temple Mounts southern wall. A close look
at the walls of this building reveal that it was built with
reused Herodian ashlar stones that were left from
the Roman destruction of the Temple site in 70 AD.
Reused Herodian ashlars are very common throughout
the city.
Benjamin Mazar excavated this area after 1967. Before

that time the ground level was up to Robinson's Arch
so that a person could walk up and touch it. Below, in
the excavation you can see (from left to right):
1. The square openings of shops that were under
Robinsons Arch
2. The remains of the piers that supported the arch
and the staircase
3. Steps at the base of the Temple Mount corner that
led up to a pavement which ran over the top of the
shops that sat under Robinsons Arch
4. Located just to the left of those steps are the
remains of walls (3 or 4) from the shops that were
perpendicular to and butted up against the west
wall (facing the camera),
5. The pavement and steps that ran along the south
(right) side of the Temple Mount
A view looking up at Robinson's Arch from the original
Herodian pavement below. The blocks and windows
above the arch are not original. The windows open into
the Islamic Museum that can be visited on the Temple
Mount. The Muslims call the Temple Mount Hara
mesh-Sherif, The Noble Sanctuary. This arch, the
spring, and all the stones in the wall below the arch are
original from the Days of Herod's construction, which
began in 19 BC. The arch, the staircase, and the gate
were in use in the days of Jesus when he spent time
on the Temple Mount.
Robinson's Arch - all that remains of this Herodian

structure is the spring of the arch which was embedded
into the wall to support the arch and pavement. The
gate was designed to provide access to the Temple
Mount, directly above this spring (A spring of an arch

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140
A photo taken from on top of rubble that has not yet

been removed looking south at Robinson's Arch. Until
1967 the rubble under Robinsons Arch brought the A Hebrew inscription was engraved and is visible in
ground level up to the arch. Older photos of Robinsons one of the ashlar blocks under Robinson's Arch.
Arch show people touching and sitting on the Arch from
ground level.
The inscription may have been engraved around 900

AD to commemorate the Jewish graves found in the
rubble under the arch from that same time period. The
inscription comes from Isaiah 66:14.
This inscription was discovered by Benjamin Mazar

during his excavations that began after the Six-Day war
in 1967. The inscription reads:
You shall see and your heart shall rejoice. Their bones
shall flourish like grass.
This close-up shows the Herodian ashlar stones that
surround the arch. It appears to be a paraphrase of Isaiah 66:14:
When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you
will flourish like grass.
Mazar believes this inscription was placed here on

the west wall of the Temple Mount by the Jews who
were allowed back into the city to rebuild the Temple
in Emperor Julians day in 363. Others recognize that
about four feet below the inscription 30-40 burials had
taken place around 900 AD.

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Chapter 45
Western Wall Street
A Herodian street from the days of Jesus and the New The street was originally built by Herod the Great and
Testament runs along the west side of the Western later repaved by Herod Agrippa I around 40-44 AD.
Wall. A portion of this street has been found at the Under the street is a gutter that is large enough to
northwest edge of the Western Wall inside the tunnels walk in, which collected rain water and ran it south,
(as seen in a photo earlier in the book). This same out of the city. The pavement is supported by three
street ran from the northwest corner all along the rows of vaults which created vaulted rooms built on the
Western Wall of the Temple Mount to the southwest bedrock. During the Roman destruction of the Temple
corner (see photo below). It then continued all the way and Temple Mount huge chunks of rock and ashlar
down through the City of David to the Pool of Siloam, stones were pushed over the edge onto this pavement,
where a large portion of it has been excavated. where the force of the falling objects crushed portions
of the pavement down into the gutter beneath the
Looking south down the Herodian street along the

Western Wall at the southwest end of the Temple
Mount. Notice the flat paving stones used in the street.
Notice also the straight stone curb running along the This photo, looking north with the Western Wall on the
right side. Toni sits toward the end of the street on the right, shows the pavement crushed by falling blocks
curb in front of shops that were under the staircase of of stone from the Roman destruction in 70 AD. In
Robinsons Arch. Stones from the Jewish Temple and the bottom right quadrant of the photo the remains
broken Herodian ashlars lay at the base of the Temple of shops built against the Western Wall can be seen.
Mount wall right were they landed in 70 AD when the Shops lined both sides of this street and may have
Tenth Roman Legion destroyed the temple and been controlled by the High Priest Annas.
its courts.

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142
streets. During the excavation process much of
this rubble was removed, but some was left to help
communicate the magnitude of the devastation caused
by the Roman Legions. The stones that were left in
place can still be seen lying on the street in the piles
where they landed almost 2,000 years ago.
A 246 foot portion of the street was excavated below

Robinsons Arch. The street there is 28 feet wide and is
bordered with raised curbstones.
Two interesting pieces of the Temple complex are

seen here. 1) In the front right is a stone that fell from
the Temple Mount above. It is a piece of the railing
from the course of stones at the top of the southwest
corner, and is called the Trumpeting Stone. The priestly
trumpeter would have stood on this stone to sound the
trumpet signaling the beginning and end of Sabbath
Fallen stones from the Temple and Temple Mount lay in
days and festivals. The sharp corner that has been cut
a heap at the base of the Western Wall. At the back left
out of this block is where the priest would have stood,
of the photo is an area that has not been excavated.
and the beveled edge served as a guard railing. In the
Behind that is the Western Wall Plaza.
top left portion of the guard rail is a Hebrew inscription.
It is likely that James, the pastor of the Jerusalem
church who wrote the book of James, was forced to
stand on this stone in 63 AD to proclaim that Jesus
was not the Messiah. Instead, James confessed Jesus
by announcing to the crowd that Jesus was the Christ,
that he sits at Gods right hand, and that he will return
in the clouds from heaven. The scribes and Pharisees
responded by pushing James, the brother of the Lord,
over this railing to his death. 2) Behind the Trumpeting
Stone on the pavement is a nicely carved block that
was a decorative piece from the Temple complex. Also
notice the four shops on the curb of the pavement on
the left side, at the back of the photo.
The damaged pavement of the street is seen as we

look south. To the right are the shops that were under
Robinsons Arch, and a decorated piece of stone that
hurled from the Temple complex above (top right). To
the left we see the curb of the street and the remains
of the walls of the shops near the southwest corner. To
the south are a couple of Muslim buildings constructed
during the Umayyad Dynasty from 661 to 750 AD. To
the back left is the Umayyad palace. To the back right
is the Umayyad hostel. Both of these buildings were
made of Herodian ashlar found in the Roman rubble.

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A close up of the Trumpeting Stone that was found

directly under the southwest corner. The Hebrew
inscription can be clearly seen on the railing. It is read
right to left, and says: For the place of trumpeting to .
. . It appears the rest of the inscription was broken off
when Charles Warren dug a tunnel through the rubble
in the 1800s, and went right through this stone. The
rest of the inscription may have said For the place of
trumpeting to the temple, or, to herald the Sabbath.
Josephus describes this place on the Temple Mount
wall when he writes:
Above the roof of the priests chambers, . . . it was
the custom for one of the priests to stand and to
give notice, by sound of trumpet, in the afternoon
of the approach, and on the following evening of
the close, of every seventh day, announcing to the
Looking north over the Trumpeting Stone (in the
people the respective hours for ceasing work and
forefront of the photo) at the pavement along the
for resuming their labors. - Josephus IV:9:12
Western Wall. The curbs on both sides of the Herodian
pavement are visible, as well as four shops on the west
side (left) of the street. The ruins of shops on the east
side (right) that sat against the Western Wall can also
be seen. The full width of the street is recognizable
The Hebrew inscription on the Trumpeting Stone from even though the right side is crushed and rubble
the Temple that Herod built. remains on the street in the background.

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144
This view is looking at the back of the shops (see the

lintel of the shop door, middle left) and at the southwest
corner of the Temple Mount. In the middle of the photo
is a bakery where circular floor ovens were found.
This photo shows the southwest corner of the Temple

Mount wall. The Herodian ashlar cornerstones are
clearly visible. To the right (east) are the pavement
and steps that lead along the southern wall. To the left
(going north) are the stair steps that led up to the top of
the shops that sat along the Western Wall.
This is the front view of the same bakery. Notice the three blocks of the curb and the pavement in front of the
bakery, in the bottom right corner of the photo.

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This photo was taken from the southwest corner of

the Temple Mount looking west toward the Western
Hill (Western Ridge) where the Upper City was
located in the first century. The remains of the
stairs and pavement that led people back and forth
from the Temple to the Upper City still remain. The
base, or pier, of Robinsons Arch is on the right.
A covered channel runs north-south along the

Western Wall. The southwest corner of the Temple
Mount is in the top right-hand corner of the photo.

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Chapter 46
Western Wall Shops
Shops along the Herodian Street can be seen to

the right of the curb. The lintels (top stone over
the doorways) of these shops provided support for
Robinsons Arch, which in turn supported the staircase
that led to the southwestern gate of the Temple Mount.
A close up of the front of the shops sitting along the

Herodian road. Notice the nicely cut ashlar stones that
formed the door jambs and supported the lintels above
the doorways. This street was lined with shops on both Detail of the Herodian ashlars in the door jambs and
sides. lintels of the shops.

147
A view of the shops from the back side (the Upper City
side), with Robinsons Arch in the background on the
Western Wall.
A general idea of how the stairway would have been

laid out.
The archaeological site behind the shops, looking

northwest.

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Josephus Account of Jerusalems Destruction in 70 AD:
While the holy house was on fire, every thing was

plundered that came to hand, and ten thousand
of those that were caught were slain...children,
and old men, and profane persons, and priests
were all slain in the same manner; so that this
war went round all sorts of men, and brought
them to destruction, and as well those that made
supplication for their lives, as those that defended
themselves by fighting. The flame was also carried
a long way, and made an echo, together with the
groans of those that were slain. ...Nor can one
imagine any thing either greater or more terrible
than this noise; for there was at once a shout of the
Roman legions, who were marching all together,
and a sad clamor of the seditious, who were
now surrounded with fire and sword....Yet was
the misery itself more terrible than this disorder;
for one would have thought that the hill itself, on
which the temple stood, was seething hot, as full
of fire on every part of it, that the blood was larger
in quantity than the fire, and those that were slain
more in number than those that slew them; for the
These are the remains of three or four of the shops ground did no where appear visible, for the dead
on the east side of the pavement that were built bodies that lay on it; but the soldiers went over
perpendicular to the Western Wall. Crushed pavement heaps of those bodies, as they ran upon such as
and curbs are seen in the bottom right quadrant of the fled from them....As for the priests, some of them
photo. plucked up from the holy house the spikes (18) that
were upon it, with their bases, which were made
of lead, and shot them at the Romans instead of
darts. But then as they gained nothing by so doing,
...Now the Romans, judging that it was in vain
to spare what was round about the holy house,
burnt all those places, as also the remains of the
cloisters and the gates, two excepted; the one on
A view from above looking at the southwest corner of the east side, and the other on the south; both
the Western Wall. Notice the shops along the Western which, however, they burnt afterward. They also
Wall and the stairs that begin at the base of the burnt down the treasury chambers, in which was
southwest corner and go over the top of the shops. an immense quantity of money, and an immense

149
A close up of the stairs that go to the top of the shops Now as soon as the army had no more people to
on the east side of the road. The shops on the west slay or to plunder, because there remained none
side can be seen to the left of the road. to be the objects of their fury, (for they would not
have spared any, had there remained any other
number of garments, and other precious goods work to be done,) Caesar gave orders that they
...before Caesar had determined any thing about should now demolish the entire city and temple, but
these people, or given the commanders any orders should leave as many of the towers standing as
relating to them, the soldiers were in such a rage, were of the greatest eminency; that is, Phasaelus,
that they set that cloister on fire; by which means and Hippicus, and Mariamne; and so much of the
it came to pass that some of these were destroyed wall as enclosed the city on the west side. This
by throwing themselves down headlong, and some wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such
were burnt in the cloisters themselves. Nor did any as were to lie in garrison, as were the towers also
one of them escape with his life. A false prophet spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity what
was the occasion of these people's destruction, kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which
who had made a public proclamation in the city the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest
that very day, that God commanded them to of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the
get upon the temple, and that there they should ground by those that dug it up to the foundation,
receive miraculous signs of their deliverance. Now that there was left nothing to make those that came
there was then a great number of false prophets thither believe it had ever been inhabited. This was
suborned by the tyrants to impose on the people, the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness
who denounced this to them, that they should wait of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise
for deliverance from God; and this was in order to of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among
keep them from deserting, and that they might be all mankind. But Caesar resolved to leave there,
buoyed up above fear and care by such hopes... as a guard, the tenth legion, with certain troops
Thus were the miserable people persuaded by of horsemen, and companies of footmen. -
these deceivers, and such as belied God himself. Josephus, Wars of the Jews, book VII, chapter I.
- Wars of the Jews, book VI, chapter V

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Chapter 47
Southern Wall: Double Gate, Triple Gate, Stair Steps, Single Gate, Burnt Shops
This is a view of the eastern two-thirds of the southern wall. Notice the how quickly the ground level drops off as
the wall continues toward the east (right). The dome of the Al Aqsa Mosque can be seen where Solomons Porch,
or the Royal Stoa, of the Jews once stood on the south side of the Temple Mount.
A 22-foot wide street also ran along the southern wall
of the Temple. About 37 feet of this street can still
be seen at the southwest corner, where it begins to
ascend rapidly through a series of stairs until it reaches
the Double Gate. Although we know the route, the
street is not visible after the initial 37-foot section until
it reaches the Double Gate. At the Double Gate it is
again visible down to the Triple Gate.
Stairs run up to this street from the south, coming up

the Ophel from the south. The remains of these stairs
are also still visible. In fact, they are still useful to
visitors. As the street continues along the southern wall
toward the east a series of vaults, similar to the vaults
under the street along the Western Wall, were built to
support it. These vaults, or arches, supported the street
along the southern wall and were also used as shops. Since 1967 when the Israelis took control of eastern
Jerusalem, extensive excavation has been done in this
area called the Ophel south of the Temple Mount.

151
A view of the southern wall and the excavation done in the Ophel area. Notice the location of these things:
1) paved street, 2) the Double Gate, 3) the Triple Gate, 4) marks from the Burnt Herodian Arches, and 5) the two
large sets of stairs (not labeled) leading up to the Double and Triple Gates. It may also be of interest to recognize
where the remains of the Akra, the old Seleucid fortress, is.
The worn steps cut into the bedrock
of Mount Moriah as it ascends to the
Temple Mount in front of the Double
Gate in the Ophel.

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This flight of stairs is 210 feet wide. The stairs are

a combination of smooth stone slabs and carved
bedrock. The stairs alternate between a 35 inch run
(the length of the step) and a 12 inch run, except
for the first and last three steps, which are all 12
inches. The alternating step width caused the Jewish
worshippers to proceed toward the Temple Mount
with a steady, unrushed pace. Jewish writings record
Gamaliel (the Apostle Pauls Jewish instructor and the
man who suggested the release of the Apostles in Acts
5:34) sitting on these steps with the elders:
It happened once with Rabban Gamaliel and the

elders, that they were sitting on the stairs in the
Temple Mount. -Tosefta Sanhedrin 2:6 A view looking east-southeast down the steps over the
Kidron Valley toward the southern summit of the Mount
of Olives. At the foot of these stairs are numerous
In this photo, Galyn leans against a tower of the
mikvah (ritual baths) used by the Jews for purification.
Knights Templar that was built right up against the
These mikvah were likely used by the Apostles on the
Double Gate by the Crusaders to protect the city from
Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 for baptizing the 3,000 new
Muslim invaders. A lintel from the Umayyad Period
Jewish believers in the name of Jesus. On that day,
(661-750 AD) can be seen over the Double Gate. Part
these steps would have been crowded - first, because
of the lintel was covered up by the Knights Templar
it was the Jewish feast of Pentecost, and second,
when they built their fortification in about 1129 AD.
because of the events recorded in Acts chapter 2.

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A view of the eastern half of the Double Gate. This gate

led into a magnificently decorated tunnel under the
Temple Mount's Royal Stoa (Solomons Porch) which
led to a set of stairs that brought the worshipper up to
the surface of the Temple Mount. The distance from the
street level in front of the Double Gate up the stairs to
the Temple Mount surface is about 46 feet.
Above the Umayyad Arch (built in the 600's AD by

the Muslims) are four trapezoidal stones which form
the arch of Herod's New Testament Temple Mount
entrance. Below the trapezoidal stones is a large
horizontal stone with a wide margin and boss carved
into it. This is the lintel for the Herodian Double Gate.
To the left behind the Crusader wall, the rest of the
gate can be seen.
This is a photo from the Temple Mount where the

worshipper would emerge after entering the Double
Gate. Today this entrance is only accessible to Muslims
(although, I have to admit that I was tempted run down
the stairs into the tunnel to see and photograph the
decorations in the rock walls and domed ceilings).
The building behind this is the Al Aqsa Mosque which
is considered the third most holy site in the world for
Muslims after Mecca and Medina.

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The upside down inscription is from the Roman statue

of Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD) that the
Bordeaux Pilgrim recorded seeing when he was on the
Temple Mount in 333 AD. The statue was destroyed
Notice the four trapezoidal stones forming the arch by the Byzantine Christians after 333 AD, the Jews in
of the Double Gate from the days of Herod, and the 614 AD or the Muslims in 638 AD. This reused block
large horizontal lintel directly below them with the is the only part found so far of the two statues (one of
wide margin and boss. The decorative arch attached Hadrian, and this one of Antoninus Pius.)
to the face of the wall is from the late 600s AD. Also
notice the square stone that sets immediately to the
right (east) of the fourth trapezoidal stone, even with
the top of the arch. This stone is etched with a Roman Shown rightside-up, the inscription reads:
inscription and was placed in the wall upside down. It To Titus Aelius Hadrianus
is the base of a Roman statue that sat on the Temple Antoninus Augustus Pius
Mount in the days of Hadrian after the second Jewish The father of the fatherland, pontifex, augur
revolt was quenched in 135 AD. Decreed by the Decurions

155
Toni stands on the street pavement along the southern Temple Mount wall between the Double and Triple Gates
at the top of the large staircases. The large six-foot-tall ashlars behind her are original Herodian stones remaining
from the Temple Mount that was destroyed in 70 AD. This course of ashlars is double the height of the average
ashlar because they served as the master course. Notice that at the street level, the margin and bosses of a
lower course of ashlars can be seen directly behind Tonis feet.
This photo is looking west toward the
Double Gate and the wall of the tower of
the Knights Templar. The Triple Gate was
directly behind me when the photo was
taken. The Double Gate and Triple Gate
are 230 feet apart. The course of six-foot
ashlars from the New Testament days can
be seen in this course which is just left of
the Triple Gate and continues to the Double
Gate. The stones above this course are the
work of Romans, Jews or Muslims (no one
knows for sure) who rebuilt the southern
wall of the Temple Mount.

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A Hebrew inscription of the name
Berachia Bar Gedalya Bayrav in one
of the large six-foot ashlars located
between the Double and Triple Gates
can be seen. All we know for sure is
the name that is inscribed. The details
of who, when and why are unknown.
The Triple Gate can be seen at the top

of these rebuilt stairs. The Triple Gate
is 230 feet east of the Double Gate
and is 51 feet wide. Each of the three
gates is 13 feet wide with two 6 foot
piers separating them.

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The Triple Gate led visitors under the Temple Mount

through a decorated tunnel beneath the Royal Stoa
on the south end of Solomons Colonnade, then to
a stairway which took worshippers up to the outer
courtyard of the Temple Mount. This Triple Gate is likely
the Beautiful Gate of Acts 3:2:
One day Peter and John were going up to the

temple at the time of prayer at three in the
afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was
being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful,
where he was put every day to beg from those
going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter
and John about to enter, he asked them for money
. . . Then he went with them into the temple courts,
walking and jumping, and praising God. When all
the people saw him walking and praising God, they
recognized him as the same man who used to sit
begging at the temple gate called Beautiful . . .
While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the
people were astonished and came running to them
in the place called Solomons Colonnade.
- Acts 3:1-11

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A close up of the stone carvings from the west door

jamb of the Triple Gate. This is all that remains of
Herod's original gate, called the Beautiful Gate, that
served as an entrance to the tunnel and staircase
that still exist behind this blocked gate. This ashlar is
48 inches long. Eighteen inches are decorated with
a classical gate profile, and the remaining 30 inches
are carved in a style typical of Herodian ashlars. The
Triple Gate was rebuilt during the Umayyad Dynasty
(661-750). The Crusaders blocked it shut to protect
themselves from the Muslims around 1100.
To the left (west) side of the first gate of the three,

decorative rock carvings in the door jamb can still be
seen on the ashlar stone that was part of the Triple
Gate or Beautiful Gate. The highly decorated stones
may be the reason it was called The Beautiful Gate.
Jesus and the apostles would have surely walked
through this gate that led up to the outer courts and
Solomons Porch, where the early church in Jerusalem
met daily.
There is a Hebrew inscription on the carved molding

of the jamb of the Triple Gate. The inscription, possibly
a memorial, consists of the names of two Jews who
had died. The inscription is dated at around 750 AD
when the Muslim Abassid dynasty ruled, and Jews
could only worship at the gates of the Temple Mount.

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Further to the east on the south wall is the Single

Gate. It was cut by the Knights Templar and is not
original to the Temple Mount. The Crusaders used this
gate to access the caverns below the Temple Mount,
where they kept their horses. The caverns are called
Solomons Stables. The gate was blocked shut by
Saladin in 1187 when the Muslims returned. Below this
arch are the remains of other arches that supported the
Herodian street that ran the full length of the southern
wall. The vaulted rooms created by this arched support
system were used as shops. The intense heat from the
Roman fire in 70 AD seared the wall below the Single
Gate, and created burnt impressions of the arches. The
impressions burnt onto the Herodian ashlars still clearly
show where these shops and their vaulted walls stood.

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The intense heat of the Roman destruction created

burnt impressions on the southern wall of the Temple
Mount, outlining the arches of the vaulted rooms that
supported the paved street as it descended. Shops
were located in these vaulted rooms under the street.
A close up of a burnt impression.

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Chapter 48
Archaeology on the Ophel (Jerusalem Archaeological Park)
A channel cut in the rock (dotted white line in photo above) took water from a large cistern on the Temple Mount to
the ritual baths below the Double and Triple Gates. It runs under the Double Gate stairs and then turns east under
the stairs of the Triple Gate.

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Overlooking the Ophel where heavy excavation south of the Temple Mount began in 1967 and continues today.
The Double Gate and the large stairs are in the middle of the photo and to the right side in the background.
This photo is looking east toward the

Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives
along the southern wall of the Temple
Mount. The walls of a large Herodian
building were found east of the
Triple Gate. The Mishnah mentions
a courthouse that used to sit at
the entrance to the Temple Mount.
Fragments of a finely carved stone
inscription were found in this location
that says the elders. This is assumed
to refer to the elders of the Sanhedrin
who managed and met in this
courthouse. Two other courthouses
were also mentioned in the Mishnah:
one on the Temple Mount, and one in
the Hall of Hewn Stones.

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Mikvah by the stairs south of the Temple. Looking

Looking south over the Archaeological Park and south from near the Triple Gate.
excavation south of the Temple Mount.
A portion of the remains of the Seleucid Akra, which

Excavated remains south of the Temple Mount looking overlooked the Temple Mount during the days of the
east/southeast. Macabbean Revolt. The Macabbees tore it down and
built a southern extension of the Temple Mount over
the northern portion of this structure. The Triple Gate
stairs can be seen in the top left of this photo.
Excavated remains south of the Temple Mount looking

southwest from near the Triple Gate.
Excavation south of the Temple Mount on the Ophel.

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Three different walls can be distinguished as we look

up the Ophel toward the southern Temple Mount wall in
the back.
Excavation south of the Temple Mount on the Ophel.
Herodian ashlars setting south of the Temple Mount.
Pavement (or floor) among the ruins.
Archaeological remains setting to the

south of the southern Temple Mount wall.

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The columned courtyard of a public building in the
Muslim palace complex, from around 700 AD. These
pillars were taken from Byzantine Christian churches
that had been destroyed.
A close up of some fallen pillars.
Looking down into an excavated room and doorway.

Notice the original stonework on the floor.

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Chapter 49
The Siloam Road
The paved Herodian street at the northwest corner of
the Temple Mount continues south along the Western
Wall until it reaches the Pool of Siloam on the south
end of the City of David.
Herodian pavement stones from the first century.

This style of pavement stone is seen in many places
where streets from the days of the New Testament
have been excavated.
The Herodian street that ran from the north of the city
along the Western Wall, under Robinsons arch, and
down the eastern hill through the City of David until it
reached the Pool of Siloam. The Pool of Siloam is circled.

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A portion of the width of the street can be seen here.

This pavement along the edge of the Pool of Siloam Only the left side (top of photo) was excavated and
leads to the street. accessible when this photo was taken. Again, notice
the steps beginning to ascend through the City of
David on the eastern ridge of the city as we approach
the Ophel and Mount Moriah. This street and these
stairs would have been used by the blind man as he
approached the Pool of Siloam to wash the mud from
his eyes:
Having said this, Jesus spit on the ground, made

some mud with the saliva, and put in on the mans
eyes. Go, Jesus told him, wash in the Pool of
Siloam. So the man went and washed, and came
home seeing. - John 9:6-7
Recent excavation of this area has uncovered a

stepped stone street that ascends from the Pool of
Siloam to the Temple Mount. Notice in the back of
this photo that the front of three steps can be seen.
The style of the stairs is similar to the large staircases
in front of the Double and Triple Gates, in that the
steps alternate between narrow and wide runs. In this
photo the first step is a narrow run while the second
step is wider. This created a slow, steady procession
as people ascended from the Pool of Siloam to the A good view of the alternating steps and the pavement
Temple Mount. In this photo the excavation turns stones. To the left is dirt that has not been excavated
toward the left and then follows a section of this wide yet. To the right is a wall that blocks access to the rest
street up through the City of David. of the street which is being excavated now.

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Galyn ready to ascend the recently excavated stepped

stone street that leads from the Pool of Siloam up to the
Temple Mount. The continuation of the street can be seen Looking down the stepped stone street that leads to
in the opening further up on the left side of the street. The the Pool of Siloam. Only 6 feet of the 25-foot-wide
Temple Mount is 1600 feet (a little more than a quarter street has been excavated so far.
mile) up these stairs to the north, but the excavation does
not continue all the way to the Temple Mount.
This is a photo of the gutter that runs under the

stepped stone street. This gutter system would collect
runoff rain water from the city and drain it toward the
The stepped stone street is much wider than this, but Pool of Siloam. Notice that it has been completely
this narrow portion was excavated and accessible in excavated, since both sides reveal a wall made of
June of 2010. blocks that support the stone paved street above.

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A close up of the left (west) stone wall of the gutter

under the street.
In 70 AD the Jews used this gutter system to escape

from the city of Jerusalem by fleeing south under the
walls. When the Romans finally entered the city they
found these tunnels crowded with Jews who they then
slaughtered.
The east wall of the gutter and a view of the tunnel

ahead.

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Josephus records Simon, the Jewish leader, and other
Jews hiding in tunnels like these:
This Simon, during the siege of Jerusalem, was

in the upper city; but when the Roman army was
gotten within the walls, and were laying the city
waste, he then took the most faithful of his friends
with him . . . and let himself and all them down
into a certain subterraneous cavern that was not
visible above ground. Now, so far as had been
dug before, they went onward along it without
disturbance; but where they met with solid earth,
they dug a mine under ground, and this in hopes
that they should be able to proceed so far as
to rise from under ground in a safe place, and
by that means escape. But when they came to
make the experiment, they were disappointed of
their hope; for the miners could make but small
progress, and that with difficulty also; insomuch
that their provisions, though they distributed them
by measure, began to fail them. And now Simon,
thinking he might be able to astonish and elude the
Romans, put on a white frock, and buttoned upon
him a purple cloak, and appeared out of the ground
in the place where the temple had formerly been.
At the first, indeed, those that saw him were greatly
astonished, and stood still where they were; but
afterward they came nearer to him, and asked him
who he was. Now Simon would not tell them, but
bid them call for their captain; and when they ran to
call him, Terentius Rufus who was left to command
the army there, came to Simon, and learned of
him the whole truth, and kept him in bonds, and
let Caesar know that he was taken. Thus did
God bring this man to be punished for what bitter
and savage tyranny he had exercised against
his countrymen by those who were his worst
enemies . . . This rise of his out of the ground did
also occasion the discovery of a great number of
others of the seditious at that time, who had hidden
themselves under ground.
- Josephus, Wars of the Jews, book VII chapter II

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Chapter 50
The Siloam Pool
The Pool of Siloam sits to the south of the City of David
on the west side of the eastern hill. It received water
from Hezekiahs Tunnel, which came originally from the
Gihon Springs.
Notice the relationship of the stepped stone street to

the Pool of Siloam and Hezekiahs Tunnel.
This is a view of one side of the Pool of Siloam. The
steps and platforms would allow people to walk down
to the water level, which would change depending on
the season and the amount of rainfall. The pool is not
yet excavated to the left of this photo. Notice the corner
of the pool in the bottom right corner of this photo.

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Water from Hezekiahs Tunnel still flows

through a covered channel near the Pool of
Siloam, and some of the original covering
stones are still in place. Notice the stone
pavement in the bottom left corner and the
steps in the top left. This pool was discovered
in 2004 during the preliminary stages of a
public works project in the area.
The stones of the covered channel that brings

water from Hezekiahs Tunnel into the area.

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This is the water channel. The Pool of Siloam is

to the right in this photo. The circular holes in the
pavement were designed to hold water jugs while
they were being filled.
The steps of the Pool of Siloam. The corner of the

pool can be seen in the background. This view
shows the size of this important pool from the days
of the New Testament, where Jesus sent a blind
man to wash the mud from his eyes in John 9.

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This is an illustration of what the Pool of Siloam would have looked like. The photo above corresponds to the left
side of this image. The area shown on the right side of the image is still unexcavated and so, still buried. The
actual Herodian pavement can be seen in the bottom right corner of this picture in its actual relative position to
the pool.
A drain in the Herodian pavement by the Pool A water trough beside the Pool of Siloam has holes to
of Siloam. support water jugs as they were being filled.

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A beveled hole in one of the steps at the Pool of

Siloam, used to hold a beveled water jug.
Toni and Galyn exchange photos from the top

and bottom of the Pool of Siloam while excavation
A photo from inside the Pool of Siloam looking up continues at the site.
at the excavated side. The left of the photo remains
unexcavated as of 2010. This site was discovered
in 2004.
One of the four corners of the Pool of Siloam.

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Chapter 51
Pools of Bethesda (also called Bethseda, Beth-zatha)
The bridge-like structure on the right side of the photo is the dam that separated the south (left) side of the
Pools of Bethesda from the north pool (to the right of the photo). The depth of the pool can be seen in this photo.
When the Roman Empire became Christian (i.e., the Byzantine Empire of 326-638), it built a church over these
two pools. One of the many arches that supported the large Byzantine structure can be seen in the middle of
this photo.

177
This is a model of Jerusalem as it appeared in 70 AD. Notice the two pools that made up the Pools of Bethesda.
The south and north pools can be seen, along with the five colonnaded porches that surrounded it. Each of the four
sides had a colonnaded porch. The fifth colonnaded porch would be the covered dam that separated the two pools.
The area of the Pools of Bethesda has always had

a source of water. In the days of the Old Testament,
the area was outside the city of Jerusalem to the
north. It had a large pool that shepherds used and
was called the Sheep Pool. The gate on the north
side of Jerusalem was thus called the Sheep Gate. In
the 700s BC a dam was built to turn the spring into a
reservoir that would collect rain water which could then
be channeled into the city. The area was associated
with sheep, sacrifice, and the Temple because of its
proximity to the Temple.
The Hasmoneans added a second pool on the south

side of the dam and covered the channel to improve
water quality. This site was uncovered in 1888 by K.
Schick, but it had been known about since the days of
the Byzantines and Crusaders, as evidenced by the
remains of the church that was built over it.
No ancient Jewish writers refer to this pool, although

Josephus did write of the Pool of the Sheep-market.
Some early Christian writers recorded a spring of water
here that flowed with a red, ruddy color that some
people have tried to associate with the blood of the
Temple sacrifices. The spring that feeds the pools has Water is still found under the vaulted rooms that
been located, and water still collects in the lower areas. supported the Byzantine church which was built over
the northern pool around 350. It was destroyed in
approximately 614.

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This is a view from the dam that separates the two pools looking
down into the depths of the southern pool. The dam along
the right of the photo would have supported one of the five
colonnaded streets. Jesus visited here in April of 28 AD during
the second Passover of his ministry:
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of

the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate
a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is
surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great
number of disabled people used to lie the blind, the lame,
the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for
thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and
learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he
asked him, Do you want to get well. Sir, the invalid replied,
I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is
stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down
ahead of me. Then Jesus said to him, Get up! Pick up your
mat and walk. At once the man was cured; he picked up his
mat and walked. - John 5:1-9
The center of this photo (between the two bases of a missing
arch) shows the location of the central cistern of the Pools of
Bethesda in the days of the New Testament. In the layer above
that we can see the remains of a temple to Asclepius. This
temple, dedicated to the Roman god of healing, was built by the
Romans in the 200s for their new city Aelia Capitolina. Above
that, we see the two stubs of columns from the Byzantine church
that later stood on this site before it was destroyed in 614.

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Water located under an arch

of the large Byzantine church
built over the New Testament
Pool of Bethesda. This photo
was taken inside the northern
pool against one of the edges
of the pool.
This is the excavated

southeast corner of the
southern pool of the Pools of
Bethesda. Notice the stone
blocks used to build the walls
of the pool on the left and
bottom edges of the photo.
The top right section of the
photo shows unexcavated
rubble, soil, rock, and fill.

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Chapter 52
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
The two grey domes of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher can be seen in the skyline of this photo looking west
from the Mount of Olives. The Dome of the rock, which sets in the middle of this photo on the Temple Mount,
was built 300 years later to rival the proclamation of Constantine and the Christian world made by the then
magnificent Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The church was later totally destroyed by the Muslims in 1009, only to
be rebuilt by the Crusaders after 1100.

181
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher has been destroyed and rebuild several times through the centuries. The
church we see today was constructed by the Crusaders. The small grey dome covers the rock of Calvary, and the
large dome covers the site of Jesus burial and resurrection.
Today's Church of the Holy Sepulcher sets over two

sites: Calvary and the tomb of Jesus. Both these
sites were in the same garden outside the walls of
Jerusalem in 30 AD, and now they are under one roof.
The cross on the grey dome over Calvary in the Church John wrote that they were close to each other:
of the Holy Sepulcher.
At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was
The area where the Church sits today was a large a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which
limestone quarry in 600-700 BC. The city of Jerusalem no one had ever been laid. Because it was the
was to the SE and expanded first to the west before Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was
it came north toward the quarry. In an area east of St. nearby, they laid Jesus there. - John 19:41-42
Helenas Chapel in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
the quarry was over 40 feet deep.

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Jesus himself was crucified outside the city walls:
And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to

make the people holy through his own blood. Let
us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the
disgrace he bore. -Hebrews 13:12, 13
Not only that, but Jesus was also buried outside the
city in a garden:

The drawing above shows the abandoned quarry that a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which
was covered with reddish-brown soil in the 100s BC no one had ever been laid. -John 19:41
in order to create a garden. The area also supported
cereal crops and an orchard of fig, carob, and olive
trees.
In 30 AD, this was the perfect place to cut new graves

because of the bedrock left exposed around the quarry,
because it had only recently become available so still
had lots of available space, and because it was close
to the city yet still outside the walls. Jerusalem was,
and still is, surrounded by graves that had used for a
thousand years leading up to 30 AD. This new garden
was indeed a great opportunity for Joseph to be able to
cut a grave so close to the city: In 135, after the second Jewish revolt (132-135),
Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem as the Roman city, Aelia
Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of Capitolina. He also renamed Judea Palaestina (that
the Council, a good and upright man, who had not is, Palestine), after the ancient enemies of the Jews,
consented to their decision and action. He came the Philistines, who had ceased to be a people after
from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was the Babylonian invasions around 586 BC. Hadrian built
waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, a huge raised platform (a rectangular retaining wall
he asked for Jesus body. Then he took it down, filled with dirt) on the location of this ancient quarry
wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut covered with gardens and tombs in an effort to bury
in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. Calvary and the tomb of Jesus, an honored site of the
- Luke 23:50-53 Christians. The platform was needed to level the stone
surface that was cut up by the quarry and the tombs.
Four tombs from this period have been excavated. Hadrian built the retaining wall of this platform with
One of the tombs was a kokh, a long, narrow recess Herodian ashlars (most likely from the Jewish Temple
carved for the placement of a body. Bones were left in Mount). These stones are identical in size and facing to
the kokh for a period of time, then later collected and the Herodian ashlars in the retaining wall of the Temple
placed in an ossuary. Due to this method of dealing Mount, which made Hadrians wall look like Herods
with dead bodies, tombs would rarely be new tombs, Western Wall. Hadrian then built a temple to Venus on
since they were used over and over by a family or a top of this platform.
group of people. Another tomb found in this area was
an arcosoliuim, or a shallow, rock-hewn coffin cut into Eusebius writes about this pagan shrine in his work
the side of a wall with an arch-shaped top. This tomb entitled, The Life of Constantine, written around 339 AD:
has been chipped away by centuries of pilgrims. The
third is a large tomb that, like the kokh mentioned For it had been in time past the endeavor of
above, was found in front of the church in the entry impious men (or rather let me say of the whole
courtyard. Constantine cut this tomb larger to use as race of evil spirits through their means), to consign
a cistern. Finally, another kokh tomb was found under to the darkness of oblivion that divine monument
the Coptic convent. It is clear and undeniable that the of immortality to which the radiant angel had
Church of the Holy Sepulcher stands on the site of a descended from heaven, and rolled away the
burial ground from the time of Jesus in the first-century. stone for those who still had stony hearts, and who
The Jews buried their dead outside the city walls. supposed that the living One still lay among the

183
dead; and had declared glad tidings to the women eminence to the very ground, and the dwelling-places
also, and removed their stony-hearted unbelief of error, with the statues and the evil spirits which they
by the conviction that he whom they sought was represented, were overthrown and utterly destroyed.
alive. This sacred cave, then, certain impious and . . Nor did the emperors zeal stop here; but he gave
godless persons had thought to remove entirely further orders that the materials of what was thus
from the eyes of men, supposing in their folly that destroyed, both stone and timber, should be removed
thus they should be able effectually to obscure the and thrown as far from the spot as possible; and this
truth. Accordingly they brought a quantity of earth command also was speedily executed. The emperor,
from a distance with much labor, and covered the however, was not satisfied with having proceeded thus
entire spot; then, having raised this to a moderate far: once more, fired with holy ardor, he directed that
height, they paved it with stone, concealing the holy the ground itself should be dug up to a considerable
cave beneath this massive mound. Then, as though depth, and the soil which had been polluted by the foul
their purpose had been effectually accomplished, impurities of demon worship transported to a far distant
they prepared on this foundation a truly dreadful place. (The Life of Constantine, book III, chapter XXVI
sepulchre of souls, by building a gloomy shrine and XXVII)
of lifeless idols to the impure spirit whom they
call Venus, and offering detestable oblations As mentioned earlier, the stones that Constantine
therein on profane and accursed altars. For they removed from the destroyed pagan shrine may have
supposed that their object could not otherwise be been Herodian ashlars from the Temple Mount. Still
fully attained, than by thus burying the sacred cave today there are Herodian ashlar stones at the depths of
beneath these foul pollutions. Unhappy men! they the foundations of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
were unable to comprehend how impossible it was
that their attempt should remain unknown to him When all the stone, debris, and soil were removed from
who had been crowned with victory over death, any Hadrians shrine the original rock quarry and tomb of
more than the blazing sun, when he rises above Christ became visible. Eusebius, the church historian
the earth, and holds his wonted course through the and biographer of Constantine continues to write
midst of heaven, is unseen by the whole race of around 329 AD:
mankind. Indeed, his saving power, shining with still
greater brightness, and illumining, not the bodies, As soon as the original surface of the ground, beneath
but the souls of men, was already filling the world the covering of earth, appeared, immediately, and
with the effulgence of its own light. contrary to all expectation, the venerable and hallowed
monument of our Saviors resurrection was discovered.
Then indeed did this most holy cave present a faithful
In 325 at the Council of Nicea, Macarius, the bishop
similitude of his return to life, in that, after lying buried
of Jerusalem from 314 to 333, petitioned Constantine
in darkness, it again emerged to light, and afforded to
to demolish Hadrians temple and uncover the tomb of
all who came to witness the sight, a clear and visible
Christ. In 326 AD Helena, Constantines mother, visited
proof of the wonders of which that spot had once
Jerusalem and was told the site of Hadrians temple was
been the scene, a testimony to the resurrection of the
the site of Jesus burial and resurrection. Constantine
Savior clearer than any voice could give. (The Life of
then ordered a rotunda to be built around Jesus tomb
Constantine, Book III, Chapter XXVIII)
which sat in front of Calvary, and on the other side of
Calvary, Constantine built a long basilica church.
Constantine then gave orders to the governors of the
Eastern provinces to build a house of prayer. Eusebius
Eusebius goes on to record how Constantine ordered
records the order this way:
the destruction of Hadrians pagan shrine and the
removal of the material and soil used to cover up the
The emperor sent forth injunctions which breathed a truly
tomb of Jesus:
pious spirit, at the same time granting ample supplies
of money, and commanding that a house of prayer
He (Constantine) could not consent to see the sacred
worthy of the worship of God should be erected near the
spot of which we have spoken, thus buried, through
Saviours tomb on a scale of rich and royal greatness.
the devices of the adversaries, under every kind of
(The Life of Constantine, Book III, Chapter XXIX)
impurity, and abandoned to forgetfulness and neglect;
nor would he yield to the malice of those who had
Eusebius even records the letter Constantine sent
contracted this guilt, but calling on the divine aid, gave
to Macarius, the presiding bishop over the church
orders that the place should be thoroughly purified ...
at Jerusalem at that time. In the letter Constantine
As soon, then, as his commands were issued, these
describes his plans for the new construction and asks for
engines of deceit were cast down from their proud
Macarius advice concerning the ceiling of the church:

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It will be well, therefore, for your sagacity to make Accordingly, on the very spot which witnessed
such arrangements and provision of all things the Saviors sufferings, a new Jerusalem was
needful for the work, that not only the church itself constructed, over against the one so celebrated
as a whole may surpass all others whatsoever in of old, which, since the foul stain of guilt brought
beauty, but that the details of the building may be on it by the murder of the Lord, had experienced
of such a kind that the fairest structures in any city the last extremity of desolation, the effect of Divine
of the empire may be excelled by this . . . and as judgment on its impious people. It was opposite
to the columns and marbles, whatever you shall this city that the emperor now began to rear a
judge, after actual inspection of the plan, to be monument to the Saviors victory over death, with
especially precious and serviceable, be diligent rich and lavish magnificence. And it may be that
to send information to us in writing, in order that this was that second and new Jerusalem spoken
whatever quantity or sort of materials we shall of in the predictions of the prophets, concerning
esteem from your letter to be needful, may be which such abundant testimony is given in the
procured from every quarter, as required, for it is divinely inspired records. (The Life of Constantine,
fitting that the most marvelous place in the world Book III, Chapter XXXIII)
should be worthily decorated. With respect to
the ceiling of the church, I wish to know from you
Of course, the destruction of all Christian churches
whether in your judgment it should be panel-ceiled,
including the original Church of the Holy Sepulcher by
or finished with any other kind of workmanship.
the Persian hordes in 638, and the total destruction of
If the panel ceiling be adopted, it may also be
the rebuilt Church of the Holy Sepulcher by the Muslim
ornamented with gold. (The Life of Constantine,
Egyptian Caliph al-Hakim in 1009, both provided clear
Book III, Chapter XXX and XXX1)
evidence that the New Jerusalem had not yet come.
When the crusaders arrived in 1099 they rebuilt the

ruined church with parts of Hadrians temple that can
be seen in eight different locations in the church today.
The crusaders also used the remains of Constantines
glorious rotunda and basilica, including marble pillars
they reduced to half their original size. Godfrey of
Bouillon became the first Crusader king of Jerusalem
on July 15, 1099 and called himself the Defender
of the Holy Sepulcher. The Crusader church was
completed fifty years later in 1149.
Construction of Constantine's Church of the Holy

Sepulcher was begun in 326, and the building was
dedicated on September 17, 335. The cutting away of
all rock around the tomb was not completed until 384.
It is interesting to note Eusebius understanding This is the floor plan of Constantine's magnificent and
of the eschatological value of these events, and extravagant Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It consisted
it is worth noting that Eusebius view reflected the of a Basilica, a colonnaded courtyard around Calvary,
attitude of Constantine and the general Christian of and a large colonnaded rotunda around Jesus tomb.
that day. Eusebius interpretation of scripture and
his understanding of eschatological events led him
and Constantine to consider this building project part
of the New Jerusalem, and Constantines reign as
the reappearance of Christ on earth to rule through
his church. This was one of several corruptions of
eschatological interpretation that was to happen This is how the abandoned quarry/garden with graves
throughout church history. Eusebius wrote: would have looked in 30 AD. Notice the location of the
northwest wall of the city on the right.

185
In addition to the location being inside the walls in
326, another fact lends credibility to the Christians
assertion: Hadrians pagan shrine was still standing
there when Helena visited. If they did not know for
certain they were right, why would the Christians
After Roman Emperor Hadrian squelched the Second
have believed the burial site of their resurrected Lord
Jewish Revolt in 135 AD, he desecrated the Temple
had been buried under a vile temple of corrupt pagan
Mount with pagan temples and a statue of himself.
worship for 190 years?
He also built a platform with pagan shrines on top
of Calvary and the tomb of the Christians God
Archaeology has now confirmed three important
and Savior, Jesus. This made the Jewish Temple
facts about the current site of the Church of the Holy
Mount and both of the Christian sites inaccessible to
Sepulcher:
worshippers, yet at the same time, it preserved the
knowledge of their location so that Constantine was
1. It was outside the city walls of Jerusalem in 30 AD
able to build the Church of the Holy Sepulcher here.
2. It had many tombs in the first century (and they
are clearly seen yet today)
3. There is an earlier building here that was built
before the time of Constantine and Helena (i.e.,
Hadrians temple to Venus)
This diagram shows the large amount of stone that

was chipped away by Constantine's workers in order
to prepare Calvary and the tomb for the Byzantine
building project. Notice the tomb of Christ (A). The
letter A is on the inside of the tomb where the burial
slab that held Jesus body is located. The white box
around the tomb is rock that was left intact. The rest
of the rock was chipped away to form a square rock
box around the tomb and burial bench of Jesus.
Constantine then built a rotunda around this rock box
with the tomb inside.
Recent excavations have revealed Herodian ashlars

in the remains of Hadrians foundation walls at the
lowest levels of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The
presence of these stones helps confirm that this is the
actual site of Jesus burial.
Further evidence comes from a time even before

Constantine built his church in 326. When
Constantines mother visited Jerusalem she was told
that this exact spot was the location of Calvary and
Christs tomb. The fact that by 326 this area was inside
the busy city of Jerusalem is strong evidence that they
were right.
This is the entrance to the Church of the Holy
Based on the testimony of scripture and our knowledge Sepulcher. The current building was inaugurated by
of ancient Jewish practice, it is certain that Jesus was the Crusaders who rebuilt it in 1149. This site was
buried outside the city walls. But this site was inside honored by first century Christians, buried by Hadrian
the city. Had they not actually known and been merely in 135, identified by local believers in 326, covered
guessing, they would have picked a more logical place. by Constantines church by 335, which was then
For example, the Garden Tomb, also known as Gordons destroyed by the Persians in 614, only to be rebuilt and
Calvary, would have been a much better guess. Even destroyed again by the Muslim Caliph Hakim in 1009.
today it looks like a better location for Jesus death, The right (east) half of the main entrance to the church
burial and resurrection. The fact that Helena was shown was walled shut by the Muslims after the Crusaders
this unlikely site in 326 gives it credibility. lost Jerusalem in 1187.

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186
Today this church is shared by six groups of Christians:
Latin Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox,
Syrians, Copts, and Ethiopians.
This ladder is located on a ledge above the main

entrance. It was placed there some time in the late
1800s to take food to Armenian monks who were
locked inside the church. This ladder can be seen in
photos from at least 1890. The ladder remains where it
is because the various Christian groups that control the
church cannot agree on who is responsible for putting it
away. Each of the six groups - Greek Orthodox, Roman
(Latin) Catholics, Armenians, Copts, Syrians, and
Ethiopians have their own areas of jurisdiction which
were precisely defined in 1852.
The front door on the left side of the entryway of the

Church of the Holy Sepulcher shows charred remains
near the metal handles and locks from a serious fire in
the church in 1808. In 1927 an earthquake also caused
great damage to the church. Damage from the earthquake
was not repaired until 1959 because it took 32 years for
the Latin, Greek and Armenian Christians to come to an
agreement on how the church was to be repaired.
This is the view standing in the main entrance of the

church. The doors for this entrance are on the left and
right sides of the photo. On the floor directly in front
is the Stone of Anointing where Jesus body was laid
for anointing after he was taken down from the cross.
Calvary is directly to the right about five more steps
into the building. The tomb of Jesus is to the left of the
anointing stone, about 70 steps away. The anointing
stone was placed between Calvary and the tomb, in
the general area where Joseph would have wrapped
Jesus body and women may have applied the spices.
The stone that is here today dates to 1808 when it was
put here to replace the crusader period stone that was
destroyed by fire.

187
This is a floor plan of today's Church of the Holy

Sepulcher. Locate the "Entrance" (right above the
Entrance Court) and the unblocked door seen above.
Some areas we will visit in the next few pages are:
1) the steps up to Calvary located behind the

blocked entrance
These are the eighteen steps up to Calvary. The steps
2) the two views of Calvary up stairs that are called
are directly behind the blocked doorway at the front of the
Latin Calvary and Greek Calvary
church. The steps are worn with dips, and the stairs tilt to
3) the Chapel of Adam (directly below the Greek the left. The rock of Calvary is located a few feet on the
Calvary, but not marked on this diagram) other side of this wall. At the top of the stairs we emerge
4) the Stone of Anointing in the main entryway into the Roman (Latin) Catholic Chapel for Calvary.
5) the Rotunda with columns and an arched dome

6) the Holy Sepulcher and the burial bench of
Jesus
7) the Syrian Chapel with access to First Century
Tombs. We will then move to the right side of
the diagram passing through some unmarked
hallways and chapels to
8) the 29 Steps with Cross Graffiti, down into the
9) Chapel of St. Helen. We will then return to the
Entrance to watch the Muslim gate keeper lock
the door of the church at the end of the day for
the divided Christian groups who worship here.
This is the Roman Catholic, or Latin, Chapel next

to Calvary. It is upstairs and to the right of the main
entrance. A few steps ahead and to the left we enter the
Greek Chapel, or the Greek Orthodox altar at Calvary.
The altar you see here was made in Florence, Italy
in 1588 and was donated by Cardinal Medici. On the
front of the altar are four scenes from Jesus suffering
hammered into silver panels two panels are on the
bottom and the other two are directly above them.

New Testament
188
This is the Greek Altar in the Greek Chapel at Calvary (notice in the room to the right is the Roman Catholic
Chapel). Underneath the altar and just in front of the picture (by the head of the person who is kneeling) is an
opening through which you can actually touch the bedrock of Calvary at a spot that is traditionally believed to be
near the place where the base of the cross was placed. On both sides of the altar the original bedrock of the rock
known as Calvary (Golgotha or The Skull) can be seen through the viewing glass. The glass is there because,
through the centuries, visiting pilgrims have chipped off souvenirs from these holy sites, including the original
burial bench in Jesus tomb.

Carrying his own cross, he went out to
the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic
is called Golgotha). Here they crucified
him. ...for the place where Jesus was
crucified was near the city.
- John 19:17, 18, 20
This is a close view of Calvary's stone on

the right side of the Greek altar in the
Greek Chapel. The base of the cross
would have stood in one of the many holes
chiseled into the rock that were left from
the time when it was a quarry located just
outside the city walls.

189
During the Byzantine period many of the traditions
(both true and merely legendary) that had been
associated with the Temple Mount were transferred to
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. For example, Adam
was said to be buried beneath the cross on Calvary,
thus the meaning of Golgotha - the place of the skull.
Also, the sacrifice of Isaac was transferred from the
Temple Mount to the Holy Sepulcher. With the building
of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, these
traditions were transferred back to the Temple Mount
by the Muslims.
This is a close up of the rock of Calvary as seen

through the wall in the Chapel of Adam. We are back
on the main floor in the Chapel of Adam. We will leave
this room and turn left to walk to the tomb of Jesus,
going past the Stone of Anointing, which would be very
close to the place Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped
Jesus body:
As evening approached, there came a rich

man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had
himself become a disciple of Jesus. ...Joseph
took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
and placed it in his own new tomb that he had
Down the stairs and directly below the Greek Chapel at cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front
Calvary is another chapel called The Chapel of Adam. of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Here again we see more of the stone of Calvary in a Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were
viewing case. There is a crack in this rock that tradition sitting there opposite the tomb.
says was caused by the earthquake that occurred when - Matthew 27:57-61
Jesus died, but archaeologists and geologists say the
crack is an original flaw that would have rendered it
So as evening approached, Joseph of
useless for making blocks. That is why it (Calvary) was
Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council,
left in the quarry. It was rejected by the builders.
who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God
went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus body.
...So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took
down the body, wrapped it in the linen,
and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock.
- Mark 15:42-46
Through the glass case on a wall of the

Chapel of Adam we can see a side view
of the rock called Calvary.

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190
We enter the rotunda that encircles the tomb of Jesus.

The Stone of Anointing between Calvary and the tomb. These are the columns at the front on the left side of
This stone was placed here 1810 after the fire of 1808 the Rotunda.
destroyed the previous stone that had been here since The columns in todays rotunda over the tomb of Christ
the time of the Crusaders in the 1100s. are parts of Constantines original rotunda built in the
300s. This means the original columns were taller and
much more magnificent than what we see today.
Constantines spectacular rotunda with its large dome

covering the tomb of Christ was intended to declare
Christs victory and reign. Eusebius, the church historian
from the days of Constantine, quoted Constantine
as ordering a rotunda built for Christ that was of a
magnificence worthy of his wealth and of his crown.
This modern Greek Orthodox mosaic hangs behind

the Stone of Anointing and can be seen as we enter
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The mosaic shows
Jesus' body being removed from the cross with the
skull of Adam in the ground beneath it (far right). This
is why the chapel under the Greek Chapel at Calvary
is called the Chapel of Adam. According to tradition,
Adam was buried under Calvary when he died. But,
an even earlier tradition has Adam being buried under
the Most Holy Place on the Temple Mount. It appears
this Jewish tradition followed the Christians from the
Temple Mount to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
To the left of the Calvary scene is the middle scene,
showing the anointing of Jesus body. The third scene,
furthest to the left, is the burial of Jesus body in the
tomb. All three of these events took place under the
roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. These columns are on the right side in the back of the
Rotunda as we face the tomb.

191
Originally, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was
constructed as two sites. The first was a rotunda (a
building with a circular ground plan) with a dome
marking the tomb of Christ. The second was a basilica
church on the site of the crucifixion. (A basilica is
large-roofed hall with interior colonnades that divides
the space, giving aisles or arcaded spaces at one or
both sides. There is also an apse at one end where the
church leaders sit. The central aisle is usually wider
and higher than the flanking aisles. This design allows
light to enter through the clerestory windows, the upper
row of windows, in order to bring light all the way to the
center of the large building).
These columns are on the left side toward the back of

the tomb.
The dome of the Rotunda. This is the inside of the

larger grey dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Between these two buildings was a courtyard enclosed

in a columned portico. All this was located on the west
side of the Cardo, Jerusalems main street at that
time. The Basilica faced the street and was the front
entrance of the complex.
In 1876 a mosaic called the Madaba Map was found

on the floor of a Byzantine church from the 500s in
Madaba, Jordan. This map shows the Cardo Street, the
Nea Church and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The full map was of Israel, and included the area from
Beth-shan to the Nile River in Egypt, and from the
Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Arabian Desert in
the east. It is the oldest map of Israel in existence.
The map is about 65 feet by 16 feet, and was made

Columns, with the dome of the Rotunda above. This is from more than 2 million tesserae. There are 150
inside the larger of the two grey domes of the Church captions, all in Greek.
of the Holy Sepulcher.

New Testament
192
The Madaba map from the 500's AD shows the main Roman road called the Cardo with the most important
Christian churches in relation to the Cardo. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is shown with its basilica built in
front of Calvary so that it extends all the way to the Cardo. Also, shown on the map are the Nea Church, the
Siloam Church and the Zion Church. On Easter each year during the Byzantine era, a very large procession
began at the Nea Church and progressed down the Cardo Street to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Right in the middle of the Rotunda

is the Holy Sepulcher, the Tomb
of Jesus. The original rock that
surrounded the tomb was removed
by Constantine beginning in 326 so
that only a large square rock block
was left surrounding the tomb. In
1009 the Muslim Caliph from Egypt,
al-Hakim, completely destroyed the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher and
crushed the stone block around the
tomb that was left by Constantine.
The only portion of the tomb that
was spared was the burial bench
because it was covered in the
rubble. Today the burial bench exists
but is covered with a marble slab
to preserve what is left from visiting
Christians who chipped away at it in
order to get a piece of the tomb.

193
Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen
cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he
had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in
front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting
there opposite the tomb.
- Matthew 27:59-61 (also Mark 15:46-47; Luke 23:53)
An image of what the tomb of Jesus originally looked

like. The only part left is the burial bench.
The front of the Holy Sepulcher. The only original part

of Jesus tomb that is left is the burial bench in the back
left of the elaborate building.
This photo provides a perspective of the distance

between Calvary and the tomb of Jesus. This was
This is the marble slab that covers the burial bench originally a rock quarry that was abandoned and used
of Jesus located in the Rotunda of the Church of the for cutting tombs in the days of the New Testament.
Holy Sepulcher. It was placed here in 1555. The split The Stone of Anointing is in the middle of this photo.
in the middle of the slab was put there on purpose to
discourage Muslim looters during the Ottoman Empire.

New Testament
194
The nearness of Calvary to the tomb of Christ is
attested to in the Gospel of John. John wrote that they
were close together and located in the same garden:

a garden, and in the garden a new tomb.
-John 19:41
A small room behind the Rotunda, just a few steps from

the tomb of Jesus, provides access to other tombs
from the same period. In this picture is a small opening
that leads to the long narrow tombs. In the next photo Inside the small opening we can see the original
we will look inside this doorway. Then, we will crouch bedrock and tombs in the back. There is a small door
down and enter the tombs inside. to the right that blocks access into one of the tombs.
Inside the chamber we

can see the long, narrow
tombs. These are just a
few feet from Jesus'
tomb and are cut into
the same rock.

195
Here we look inside the areas where bodies were laid

after they were wrapped in cloth and spices. After
about a year, the body would have decayed, and
the bones would then be collected and placed in an
ossuary box.
This is a photo of the Chapel of the True Cross.

Tradition says that Constantine's mother found the
true cross of Jesus hidden in this chapel when they
uncovered the area in 326. A cross that was considered
the "true" cross existed, but was taken by the Persians.
It was later recovered and restored to the church.
Ironically, it eventually disappeared completely due to
Christian pilgrims picking pieces of wood from it and
taking them home.
The Chapel of the True Cross is the lowest and

easternmost point in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The chapel got its name from a legend that says
Helena found the true cross of Christ there. This cave
is on the opposite side of other first century tombs and
was once a quarry, but after the quarry was abandoned
it was converted into a cistern.
To the right of the altar is a fresco painted by the

Crusaders, now protected by plexiglass. To the
left of the altar is a small room called the Chapel
of St. Vartan. Inside this room are Herodian ashlar
Crosses cut in the walls on both sides of the stairs stones from the Temple Mount, remains of Hadrians
leading down to the church of St. Helen. This cross foundation walls built in 135 AD for his pagan temples.
graffiti has been carved by pilgrims through the On one of these ashlars is a painting of a ship with the
centuries. The design of most of these crosses is from Latin inscription DOMINE IVIMUS (Lord, we came)
the Crusader period. drawn by a Christian pilgrim sometime between 135
and 200 AD. This inscription confirms the belief that

New Testament
196
Galyn and Toni in the
lowest part of the Church
of the Holy Sepulcher,
in the Chapel of the
True Cross. (When we
reached this location
we set the camera on
automatic-timer and took
a photo of ourselves.)
The Herodian ashlar
with the ship painting is
to the left of this photo
but is only accessible by
returning to the Chapel
of St. Helen up the
stairs, and then entering
the Chapel of St. Vartan
from the left side of
the altar.
early Christians visited this site to honor Jesus, even The image of a ship painted on a Herodian ashlar
while a pagan shrine stood here. The boat could be a found at the bottom of the Church of the Holy
Byzantine sailing ship with the mast lowered. The bow Sepulcher in the Chapel of St. Vartan. It is accessed
of the ship is to the left, and the stern and two steering from the left side of the altar in the Chapel of St. Helen,
rudders at the back are on the right side. If that is the and is next to the Chapel of the True Cross. Hadrian
case, the inscription would be from around the time of reused the Herodian stones from the Temple to build
Constantine, probably after Constantine had ordered his pagan shrine over the tomb of Jesus. It appears a
the destruction of Hadrians temples but before the Christian pilgrim visited this site after sailing here from
Church of the Holy Sepulcher had been built. The a foreign land. He drew the image of his ship with a
inscription is from the traditional Psalm of the pilgrim to lowered sail and wrote, Lord, we came.
Jerusalem:
I rejoiced with those who said to me, Let us go

to the house of the Lord. Our feet are standing in
your gates, O Jerusalem. - Psalm 122:1
Another interpretation of the Latin inscription is DD M

NOMINUS (the gift of Marcus Nominus).
This is the ceiling of the Chapel of the True Cross.

The large rock portion at the top of the photo was
rejected by the cutters and was left in the quarry.
The square openings at the top of the vaulted ceiling
were used to lower buckets into this part of the quarry
when it had been converted into a cistern before the
time of Constantine.

197
This photo shows the doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher being locked by a Muslim man whose family has
done it every day since 1178 AD when the Muslim Nuseibeh family was appointed by Saladin to take care of the
key and manage the locking and unlocking of the 3 ton doors for the constantly fighting Christian groups. During
the 1700s there were tensions between the Ottoman Empire authorities and the Nuseibeh family, so in 1789
the Joudeh family was given the responsibility of assisting the Nuseibeh family. Since that time a member of the
Joudeh family brings the key to a member of the Nuseibeh family who then unlocks and locks the Church door for
the Christians.

New Testament
198
Chapter 53
Garden Tomb and Gordons Calvary
This site is called Gordon's Calvary because in 1883 British General Charles Gordon suggested that this
outcropping of rock just across the street from the north city wall was Golgotha, the Place of the Skull. The
proposal that this was the original Calvary gained some momentum since a garden tomb had been found near
this location in 1867. This site soon began to challenge the legitimacy of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as the
location of Jesus crucifixion, burial and resurrection. This is an interesting location but there are many reasons
why it cannot be the actual site. Notice the impression of a face that can be seen in this rock: the two eye sockets
in the middle of the photo with the forehead above, and the bridge of the nose below.

199
About 300 feet to the left (west) of the "skull" of Notice the burial bench was carved away by the
Gordon's Calvary is a rolling stone tomb (there is a Byzantine Christians to create a rock sarcophagus.
track or groove cut in the rock in front of the entrance of
the tomb for a rolling stone) with a burial bench inside.
This tomb was discovered in 1867, and because of its
proximity to "the Skull" it was assumed by the British to
be the tomb of Christ. Of course, this assumption went
against 1,800 years of history and tradition (and now,
today, archaeological evidence as well) that pointed
to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as being the
authentic place of Jesus death, burial and resurrection.
This tomb was not an unused new tomb in the time of
Christ, nor did Joseph cut it in the first century. Tombs
of the New Testament era had burial chambers, or
burial benches, cut out of rock behind the entrance
room (called the vestibule), similar to those seen in the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The style of this tomb,
however, is typical of tombs from 800-600 BC, with
two burial benches cut into the wall. The Byzantine
Christians of 300-600 AD did not consider this a holy
site, since they cut down the burial benches to create
a sarcophagus to bury their dead. Even the Christian
Crusaders used this site as a stable.
A carved water channel cut in the pavement in front of

the tomb entrance

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200
Galyn steps out of the Garden Tomb. One of the reasons this site is promoted by Protestant groups and
receives attention in Protestant Bible dictionaries, atlases, and other study books is because the Protestants are
newcomers to Christianity and have no designated place in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Protestant groups
did not emerge from the Roman (Latin) Catholic branch of church history until the 1500 and 1600s, long after
the church building was controlled by six ancient Christian denominations powerful in the Eastern World Latin
Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic, and Ethiopian. In fact, many Protestant churches show
no interest in Jerusalem or the Holy Land at all. Nonetheless, the Garden Tomb is not the original site of Jesus
burial and resurrection. There is no reason to even consider this location, other than the fact that it is a tomb
outside the walls of Jerusalem. But then, there are hundreds of tombs outside the walls of Jerusalem, many with
outcroppings of rock near tombs set in ancient gardens. This site is interesting, but it is not unique.

201
Chapter 54
Fort Antonia
Fort Antonia, Herod's fortress used to oversee the 3) trapezoidal notches in the wall called sockets that
Temple Mount, sat on this outcropping of rock that were cut by Muslims at a later time for extended
served as the foundation of the north wall of the beams that supported a roof
Temple Mount. There are several things to notice in 4) the current location of a Muslim boys school
this photo: called the Umariyya School
1) the outcropping of bedrock from Mount Moriah 5) not visible in this photo but located east (right)
seen in the bottom right corner of the Herodian ashlars are five or more 19-
inch square sockets about 29 feet above the
2) the remains of the original Herodian ashlars ground; these sockets supported beams for the
(about 26 remain) that were placed on the colonnade that covered a pavement which ran
rockscarp and served as the outside of Fort around the inside of the Temple Mount walls in
Antonias south wall and also as the inside of the the days of Jesus and the New Testament.
Temple Mounts north wall

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202
Herod built a fortress on the higher bedrock in the The pillared portico, or colonnade (a walkway lined
northwest corner of the Temple Mount to keep an eye with columns and covered with a roof), would have
on activities and oversee the Jews in the Temple. He run along the front of this rockscarp. The roof was
named this stronghold Fort Antonia after his friend supported by wooden beams extending upward
Marc Antony. The south wall of Fort Antonia was built from the 19-inch square sockets cut into Herodian
in line with the north wall of the Temple Mount on an ashlars 29 feet up the wall. The location and spacing
outcropping of rock. This rockscarp can still be seen of the columns can be identified by simply extending
today protruding above ground level. The south wall a perpendicular line out from the remaining 19-inch
of a Muslim boys school sets on this rockscarp on sockets. The wooden beams placed in these sockets
the outside. Still remaining in this wall are about 26 would have lain on the columns, which would have
Herodian ashlar stones, still in contact with the bedrock made them about 27 feet tall. The original Herodian
where they were originally placed. In addition to the paving stones from this colonnaded pavement
typical margins and bosses of the ashlars, a couple of were visible until recently, but they, like many other
interesting things can be seen in these blocks and on evidences of the ancient Jewish presence on the
the rockscarp itself. In the rockscarp below the school Temple Mount, have been covered up or removed by
are two sets of sockets (notches cut into the rock the Muslims. Even the trees growing along this wall
to support a beam that extends out from the wall to block a clear view of the sockets.
support the roof of a structure):
1) The lower trapezoidal sockets are in the photo (9
feet above the ground). They are from 661-900
AD and were made to hold the vaulting springs,
or beams of the roof, of a portico built by the
Muslims at that time.
2) 20 feet above them is a series of sockets 19
inches square, which held the massive roof
beams of a majestic portico (or a covered
colonnade) whose columns were 29 feet high.
This portico, which Josephus says was 50 feet
wide (War, 5:190), was built by Herod and went all
the way around the Temple Mount.
The first of five 19-inch square sockets that supported

beams above the colonnade of the Jewish Temple is
circled in one of the Herodian ashlars 29 feet above the
ground. The location of the other four sockets, which
are blocked by the trees, is marked by small white
squares. Below them, just right of the first tree trunk, is
a trapezoidal socket cut later by Muslims.
This is a model of the northwest corner of the Temple

Mount. Fort Antonia is outside, but shared the north
wall with the Temple complex, which then served as
Fort Antonia's south wall. The portico, or covered
colonnade, continued all around the inside of the
Temple Mount. At the south end, above the Double
Gate and Triple Gate, the covered colonnade became A close up of one of the 19-inch square sockets cut into
a higher and wider section with four columns instead the Temple Mount that was used to support a wooden
of two. This area was known as Solomons Porch, beam that sat on the columns and served as part of the
Solomons Colonnade, or the Royal Stoa. roofing structure in the colonnade.

203
Today, above the rockscarp is the Umariyya School,

a Muslim school for boys. Herodian stones from the
outside south wall of Fort Antonia can be seen in the
south wall of the Umariyya School. A 13-foot ancient
wall can be seen inside the southern rooms of the
Umariyya School. This thick wall would have been the
southern wall of Fort Antonia. To the east of the school
is another building that still has six and a half feet of a
Herodian pilaster, which would have decorated
the outside of the Jewish Temple Mount wall in
the first century.
One of the many sockets cut later in the rockscarp

by Muslims.
This is a photo of the trapezoidal sockets cut about 9

feet high in the bedrock. They were cut between 650
and 900 AD by Muslims to support wooden beams for
one of the roof systems in their buildings.

New Testament
204
Chapter 55
Phasael Tower
Three portions of Herods Phasael tower can be seen
in the photo to the left. The lower portion is built on an
incline like a glacis (an artificial slope built against a
fortification for military defense). The middle portion is
part of Herods original tower of Phasael built around
20 BC, along with the base. The upper portion was
built by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1537.
The base of Phasael Tower sits in a dry moat inside

the Jaffa Gate by the Citadel. This used to be the
northwest corner of Herods city of Jerusalem.
Herod built three towers on the
north side of his palace, which
sat along the inside of the west
wall of the city of Jerusalem.
The towers were called:
-Phasael, after Herods brother;
this tower was housed a luxury
apartment
-Hippicus, after Herods friend;
this tower was for water storage
-Mariamne, after Herods favorite
wife; this tower was the location
of another extravagant luxury
apartment

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Chapter 56
Struthion Pool
The Hasmoneans built an open air aqueduct to bring
water from the north side of the Temple Mount into the
city and the Temple Mount. The water was collected
in the Struthion pool. Herod later cut through the
aqueduct and converted the water supply into a moat
and water reservoir around Fort Antonia. He continued
to use the aqueduct to fill this pool, cutting off the
supply of water to the city and the Temple Mount from
this location. Josephus describes this reservoir and
calls it Struthius (sparrow or lark). It was one of the
smaller reservoirs in Jerusalem.
After Hadrian took the city in 135 he covered it with an

arched roof to create water cisterns below, and then
built a marketplace above. Hadrians arches split the
pool into two halves. The pool was eventually forgotten
This is one of the vaulted arches built in 135 AD to
until the Convent of the Sisters of Zion was built on this
cover this open aired Struthion Pool. The opening or
location in the 1800s, and the pools were exposed.
hole seen in the top of the arch provided access from
Today the Struthion Pool still collects water and can be
the pavement above to the water below by lowering a
seen at the north end of the Western Wall Tunnels.
bucket on a rope.
The Struthion Pool measures about 171 by 46 feet and

sets below the pavement of the plaza and market place
supported by the vaulted arches built by Hadrian for his
city Aelia Capitolina in 135 AD.

New Testament
206
Chapter 57
Garden of Gethsemane
The Garden of Gethsemane is a 10 minute walk from
the Temple Mount through the Kidron Valley and part
way up the Mount of Olives.
The age of these olive trees in the Garden of

Gethsemane easily date back to the days of the
Crusades. A few of the trees (between 3 to 8 trees) are
possibly 2,000 years old. This olive grove was stripped
of trees during the war in 68-70 AD by the Romans for
use as fire wood and siege equipment against the city
of Jerusalem. This means it is unlikely that any of these
exact trees were here at the time of Christ in 30 AD,
but scholars do estimate the age of these trees to be
anywhere between one and two thousand years.
An ancient olive tree grows in the Garden of Gethsemane.

207
Chapter 58
Tombs in Hinnom
There are many tombs in the Hinnom Valley. These tomb for Herods family. Herod himself, however, was
tombs date from the time of David and include all buried at the Herodian. His tomb was discovered in the
periods of the Old Testament, through the Hasmonean spring of 2007. Below are two photos of tombs in the
age, and into the days of the New Testament. Tombs Hinnom Valley.
of the High Priests and their families are here, as is the

New Testament
208
Chapter 59
Other Notable Tombs in Jerusalem

Jerusalem History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture F.60
209
Section F: Roman, Muslim, and Crusader Periods

Chapter 60
Ecce Homo (Roman)
One of the areas the Romans attacked when they laid The arch that supported the ramp the Romans used
siege to Jerusalem in 70 AD was the stronghold of to attack Fort Antonia still stands today and spans the
Fort Antonia, which Jewish rebels had taken over and Via Dolorosa. In 135 after Hadrian had defeated the
barricaded themselves inside of when they drove the Jews in the Second Jewish Revolt (Bar Kochba Revolt)
Romans out in 66 AD. In order to reach the north wall this same arch was converted into a monument to his
of Fort Antonia, the Romans had to build a ramp across victory. It was similar in purpose to the Arch of Titus
the Struthion Pool that served as a moat on the north in Rome commemorating the 70 AD victory over the
wall of the fort. The ramp they built was supported Jews. The Ecce Homo Arch was flanked by two smaller
by an arch, and this arch is known today as the Ecce arches, one of which can still be seen in the basement
Homo Arch. Ecce Homo is Latin for Behold the man. of the Convent of the Sisters of Zion.
The arch got its name because it was once believed

that the ancient pavement that covers the Struthion
Pool had been the floor of Fort Antonia. If that were
true, this could have been where Pilate stood when he
spoke to the crowd and condemned Jesus with those
words. The pavement has since been identified as the
stone covering built by Hadrian in 135 AD when the
Struthion Pool was covered.
The Struthion Pool was an open air reservoir in the

days of the Hasmoneans and Herod. It collected
rainwater that ran from the roofs of buildings. In 135
Hadrian covered the Struthion Pool and supported the
pavement with underground arches that can be seen
yet today at the north end of the Western Wall tunnels.
The pavement that Hadrian laid over the Struthion
Pool in 135 served as the ground of a Roman market.
This pavement can be seen inside the Convent of the
Sisters of Zion.
Inscribed on one of the stones in the pavement inside

The Ecce Homo Arch remaining from the Roman attack
the convent is a pattern for a Roman game. It was
on Fort Antonia in 70 AD. In this photo looking east, the
previously assumed that the pavement was from the
Convent of the Sisters of Zion is on the right. One side
floor of Fort Antonia where Jesus stood trial before
of the original arch is still seen in the convent wall.
Pilate. It was also imagined that the game could have
been played by Roman soldiers as they waited for
Jesus trial and execution. Recent and more accurate
archaeology place this pavement on the streets of the
open market from around 135 AD. The game board
that is etched into the paving stone was indeed cut by
Roman soldiers, but most likely by soldiers waiting in
the streets at the market, not at Christs trial.

Roman, Muslim and Crusader Periods
210
Chapter 61
Roman Inscription
The Jews revolted against Rome in 132. They may important source of information about the Byzantine
have regained control of Jerusalem at that time, and Empire of that time and earlier Jewish history. When
while they held it, began to rebuild their temple on Emperor Julian gave the Jews permission to rebuild
the Temple Mount. Two ancient documents speak of the temple during his reign in 361 AD, he spoke of
Hadrian destroying the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. three previous destructions of the Jewish Temple: by
One source is rabbinic material. The second comes Babylon in 586 BC, by Rome under Titus in 70 AD and
from a remaining portion of Chronicon Paschale, a by Hadrian in 135 AD following the Second Jewish
Christian chronicle written around 630 AD, which is an revolt. One of the first things Bar Kochba did in 132
was to mint and issue a coin for
the newly-restored kingdom of
Israel. The coins image included
the front of the new Temple in
Jerusalem on one side, and on
the other side two silver trumpets
used to call Israel to war from
the Temple.
Hadrian followed the suppression

of this revolt by building of a
temple to Jupiter on the Temple
Mount and positioning a statue of
himself there also.
This photo shows the southern

double gate. This wall contains a
stone fragment from the base of
a Roman statue from the Temple
Mount dedicated to Antoninus
Pius. The Bordeaux Pilgrim saw
this inscription and the statue that
went with it setting on the Temple
Mount when he visited Jerusalem
333 AD. The Bordeaux Pilgrim
records that there were two
statues of Hadrian on the Temple
Mount, but actually, one would
have been of Hadrian and
the other of his adopted son,
Antoninus Pius, who became
emperor after him. They both
had beards and even as you look
at the inscription today you can
see why the Bordeaux Pilgrim
thought it was a second statue
of Hadrian.

211
The Roman Temple of Jupiter was torn down by
Constantine. The stones were later used by the
Muslims to build the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa
Mosque. The stone with the inscription was apparently
found and placed upside down to replace a broken
block above the gate.
Hershel Shanks (archaeologist and editor of Biblical

Archaeology Review) says:
Hadrian erected an equestrian statue of himself

on the Temple Mount. The anonymous fourth-
century pilgrim known only as the Bordeaux Pilgrim
reports that he saw two statues of Hadrian on
the Temple Mount when he visited the site. The
Bordeaux Pilgrim probably mistakenly identified
the second statue; Hadrian's successor, Antonius
Pius (138-161 AD), probably added an equestrian
statue of himself, which the Bordeaux Pilgrim saw.
. . It is quite possible that the Bordeaux Pilgrim
saw this inscription when it was part of a statue
on the Temple Mount. But he misread it. Antonius
had been adopted by Hadrian and named as his
successor in 138 A.D. Thus, Antoninus's name
included the name of Hadrian. The Bordeaux
Pilgrim apparently looked only at the first two
lines and concluded that it was a second statue of
Hadrian. Both had a thick beard and looked much
alike when they were older. Some modern scholars
have made the same mistake and read the same
inscription now in secondary use as referring to
Hadrian instead of Antoninus. They apparently
focused on the name Hadrianus, ignoring the
following name, Antoninus.
A close up of the stone outlined in white in the previous
photo. This stone bears the inscription below. - Hershel Shanks, Jerusalems Temple Mount:
From Solomon to the Goldern Dome, p. 48
Hadrians inscription reads:
TITO AEL HADRIANO
ANTONINO AUG PIO
P P PONTIF AUGUR
DD
Translation of Latin:
To Titus Ael[ius] Hadrianus
Antoninus Aug[ustus] Pius
the f[ather] of the f[atherland], pontif[ex], augur.
D[ecreed] by the D[ecurions]

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Chapter 62
Cardo (Byzantine)
A Cardo Maximus was located in all Roman cities
and military camps. It was the main north-south road
that ran through the city and served as the center
for the local economy. It was also the main branch
for all other roads. The main east-west road was the
secondary road and was called Decumanus Maximus.
When Hadrian ended the Second Jewish Rebellion
(Bar Kochba Revolt) in 135 AD, the Romans rebuilt
Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina, and a Cardo Maximus
was added.
Beginning in 1967, major sections of this 1900-year-old

street have been excavated, and are reused in todays
Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem. The entire
roadway was originally 74 feet wide (the road itself was
40 feet wide with colonnaded and covered sidewalks A map found on the floor of a Byzantine church from
on both sides to protect pedestrians from traffic and around 500 AD shows the Cardo as the main road of
the heat of the sun). Shops were located all along both Jerusalem. The pillars in the photos below are detailed
sides of the street. Hadrian began building the Cardo on this map from 1500 years ago. Also notice the so-
in the north of the city at the Damascus Gate in 135 called Eastern Cardo, which is just above the Cardo
AD. Later, around 527, the Christian Emperor Justinian Maximus on this map. The Eastern Cardo only has one
completed the road so that the Church of the Holy row of columns.
Sepulcher was connected to the southern part of the
city, past the Nea Church and the southern gate.
The Cardo built by the Romans (135-312) and used Shops were located behind the sidewalk. Two of the
by the Byzantines. The road is in the middle of the arched shop fronts can still be seen (top left quadrant).
photo and extends to the left past the edge. (Imagine Notice again the street pavement (lower left corner),
it without the modern square pillars.) To the right are the square street curb, the columns that still remain
the original columns of the colonnaded street. To the from the colonnade, the pedestrian sidewalk protected
right of the columns is the Roman sidewalk. Notice the by the columns, the place where the covering would
square curb. Curb, columns and sidewalk were also on have been, and the remains of five shops and
the other side of this street. their walls.

213
The smaller rocks in the wall were placed to block an Part of the ancient Cardo that has been modernized.
ancient shop entrance. Notice the pavement and the ancient store fronts which
are now home to modern shops. Toni is shopping
under the Israeli flag on the right side. A very nice art
shop that sells prints by local artists (at least one of
whom also works in the shop) is on the right.
Ancient arched shop fronts and their vaulted rooms

along the sidewalk of the Cardo in ancient Aelia
Capitolina, the Roman Jerusalem.
Ancient pavement stones from the Cardo (top back) lay

beside modern reconstructions (front bottom).
Notice the modern city street level is about 20 feet

above the street level of 135 AD. See the modern
street in the top left, with a stairway coming down to
the Cardo.

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Chapter 63
Roman Wall by the Western Wall Plaza (Roman) -The Eastern Cardo
The Madaba map, a detailed mosaic from 542-570 public service building. It appears the Eastern Cardo
found on a Byzantine church floor in Jordan, shows Street has been discovered.
the location of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the
Nea Church, the Cardo Street and much more. One On the Madaba map this street runs northwest along
the details portrayed on the Madaba map is another the Tyropoean Valley to a place where it connects with
Roman street to the east of the main Cardo street, the Cardo street in a large paved area with a large
which has thus been called the Eastern Cardo Street. Roman pillar in front of the Damascus Gate (which was
In 2007 a major colonnaded street running under the known as the New Gate i.e., Nea Gate in the year
west portion of the Western Wall Prayer Plaza was 333 AD) in the north.
uncovered during the early construction stages of a
This Roman road was just uncovered in 2007 near the Western Wall Plaza (top edge of this photo). The
pavement and remains of walls from Aelia Capitolina, the Roman city rebuilt over Jerusalem (135-325 AD) can
be seen here. The plans now are to continue with the excavation, and then build the public building over the
area, with a museum of the Roman city and street in the lower level of the building. The pavement stones are set
diagonally in typical Roman style, which may have helped prevent wagons from slipping. There is also a drainage
system built under the pavement stones.

215
Chapter 64
Nea Church (Byzantine)
Emperor Justinian (527-565) had the Nea Church The Arch of Titus, located in Rome southeast of the
(nea is Greek for new) built on the east side of Roman Forum, commemorates Titus' victory over
the Cardo Street in the southern part of Jerusalem. the Jews and the end of the 66-70 AD Jewish revolt.
The Nea Church can be clearly seen on the Madaba This triumphal arch was built in 82 AD. The modern
Map. This 375 by 185 foot basilica, the largest church importance of this arch is in the engraving found on the
in Israel, was dedicated in 543. Justinians Roman inside which shows the Temple treasures being carried
court historian, Procopius, notes that this massive into Rome by Roman soldiers after their destruction
church was not built over a traditional holy site, so it of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The
was meant to serve some other purpose. It included image clearly shows the golden Table of Showbread,
a library, a monastery, a hospital and a hospice. the golden Candle Stand, and the trumpets used by
Procopius says the structure was built with enormous the priests. Many other items from the Temple can
cut stones on a huge platform, which was supported by also be assumed to have made it to Rome. It seems
large underground vaults. The roof was built of very tall these Temple treasures were taken from Rome by
cedars, and many large pillars filled the basilica. the Vandals but recaptured by the Romans of the
Byzantine Empire and taken to Constantinople. The
For several reasons, it appears that Justinian believed Temple treasures portrayed on the Arch of Titus may
he was building a new Temple to replace Solomons have ended up stored in the Nea Church by Justinian.
and Herods. It is highly probably that the Nea Church (Photo by Bill Wallander)
was built to hold the Temple treasures taken from
Herods Temple by the Romans in 70 AD.
The inscription above the Arch of Titus reads:

SENATUS
POPULUSQUE-ROMANUS
DIVO-TITO-DIVI-VESPASIANI-F
VESPASIANO-AUGUSTO
This translates as:

The Senate
And People of Rome (dedicate this to)
The Divine Titus, Son of Divine Vespasian,
Vespasianus Augustus
Titus full name is Titus Vespasianus Augustus. This

monument was credited to the Senate and People of
Rome and was constructed shortly after Titus death at
the hand of his brother Emperor Domitian. (Photo by
Bill Wallander)

216
The Arch of Titus was built in Rome in 82 AD to
commemorate the Roman victory over the Jews. It
is clear from the images on the Arch that the Golden
Candle Stand, the Table of Showbread, and trumpets
from the Temple were carried into Rome. Josephus
himself testifies to this fact in his book, Wars of the
Jews, book 7, chapter 5:
After these triumphs were over, and after the

affairs of the Romans were settled on the surest
foundations, Vespasian resolved to build a Temple
to Peace, which was finished in so short a time,
and in so glorious a manner, as was beyond all
human expectation and opinion: for he having A close up of the triumphal procession. Notice the
now by Providence a vast quantity of wealth, Candle Stand and the two trumpets which form an X
besides what he had formerly gained in his other over the Table of Showbread as the Romans carry
exploits, he had this temple adorned with pictures them into Rome. (Photo by Bill Wallander)
and statues; for in this temple were collected and
deposited all such rarities as men aforetime used
to wander all over the habitable world to see, when
they had a desire to see one of them after another;
he also laid up therein those golden vessels and
instruments that were taken out of the Jewish
temple, as ensigns of his glory. But still he gave
order that they should lay up their Law, and the
purple veils of the holy place, in the royal palace
itself, and keep them there.
The Golden Lamp Stand from Herod's Temple of 70 AD.
Images from the inside of the Arch of Titus showing

the Roman triumphal procession into Rome with the
Temple Treasures. (Photo by Bill Wallander)
Above photos by Bill Wallander

217
The Temple treasures were kept in Rome until Rome Jerusalem and returning Jerusalem to the Christian
fell to the Vandals. The Vandals were in turn defeated control of the Byzantine Empire. (Note that the Persian
by the Byzantine Empire, which recovered the Temple invasion of 614 was not associated with Islam, since it
treasures and took them to Constantinople. During was not until 622 that Mohammed began to spread his
the triumphal procession through Constantinople with new religion. By 626 Mohammed began slaughtering
the captives and goods taken from the Vandals, the the Jews of Medina, and the Muslim faith began
Jewish Temple treasures where seen among the booty. to spread. Muslim war and conquest would arrive in
Procopius records these events of his own day in Jerusalem in 638, a mere 21 years after the Persians
History of the Wars, book IV, chapter 9:6-9: restored it to the Christians.)
. . . among these were the treasures of the Jews, Although plundered and burnt, we know that the
which Titus, the son of Vespasian, together with remains of the Nea Church continued to stand for
certain others, had brought to Rome after the several centuries, since it was described by pilgrim
capture of Jerusalem. And one of the Jews, seeing writers as still in use in 634 and 808. In fact, in 870 a
these things, approached one of those known to monk stayed in what was called Charlemagnes rebuilt
the emperor and said: "These treasures I think it Nea Church.
inexpedient to carry into the palace in Byzantium.
Indeed, it is not possible for them to be elsewhere
than in the place where Solomon, the king of the
Jews, formerly placed them. For it is because
of these that Gizeric captured the palace of the
Romans, and that now the Roman army has
captured that the Vandals." When this had been
brought to the ears of the Emperor (Justinian), he
became afraid and quickly sent everything to the
sanctuaries of the Christians in Jerusalem.
Forty-nine years after the death of Justinian and

seventy years after the dedication of the Nea Church
the Persians captured Jerusalem with help from their
Jewish allies. The Nea Church was plundered in 614
by the Jews and Persians. History records that all
churches in Israel at this time, with the exception of
the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, were burnt by
the Persian invaders and their Jewish allies. The fact Photo of the outside the southeast corner of the Nea
that these churches were plundered is confirmed by Church, which contains the southern apse of the
the fact that the Persians captured what the Christians church on the inside. The current city wall runs on top
thought was the True Cross from the Church of of the Nea Church, as can be seen in this photo.
the Holy Sepulcher. It would appear then that the
Temple treasures taken to Rome by Titus in 70 AD
and returned to Jerusalem by Justinian in 534 were
possibly taken back by the Jews in 614 from the
Nea Church.
After the fall of Jerusalem to the Persians in 614 we

lose track of the Temple treasures. What happened to
them? Were the Jews silent about their re-discovered
Temple treasure? Were the Temple treasures carried
away by the Persians? Maybe melted down? Or, were
they never located nor removed from their hidden
compartments in the lower regions of the Nea Church?
Are they still there today?
A diagram of the Nea Church. The three or four
By 617, only three years after victory, the Persians portions of remains that are visible today are marked
betrayed their Jewish allies by expelling them from with angled, parallel lines.

218
The Nea church survives to a height of 26 feet, with Inside the Nea Church. This photo shows the southern
walls that are over 20 feet thick. About 45 of the apse in the southeast corner.
original 375 feet of wall still remain.
Looking northwest at the southeast corner of the Nea

Church.
There are six huge vaulted halls over 30 feet high under
the remains of this church. Charles Warren entered
and drew these vaults in 1867. An inscription has been
found that reads:
And this is the work which was carried out by the

generosity of our most gracious Emperor Flavius
Justinian, under the care and devotion of the most
holy Constatinos, priest and in the year 534/35.
An idea of how the Nea Church would have looked.

219
Chapter 65
Al Aqsa Mosque (Muslim)
The El Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount is the third
most holy site in Islam.
Just like the Dome of the Rock was built to overshadow
the rotunda of the Holy Sepulcher, the Al-Aqsa
mosque was built to mimic the basilica over Calvary.
The alignment of these two buildings completes the
imitation of the Holy Sepulchers layout.
Since the mosque stands on the south of the Temple

Mount, the Crusaders considered it the remains of
Solomons palace. Because of this, it served as the
palace of the Latin kings of Jerusalem during the days
of Crusader occupation. It was also given to the Order
of the Knights Templar for their headquarters.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque sits along the southern side of

the Temple Mount on top of where Solomon's Porch
stood. The tunnel and stairway leading to the Temple
Mount surface from the Double Gate runs under the
The front of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Al-Aqsa Mosque.

220
The Al-Aqsa Mosque with the entrance
to the stairway and tunnel to the Double
Gate in the bottom left corner. When
Jesus cleared the Temple of the money
changers it would have happened in
this general area, which at that time was
Solomons Porch.
These stairs lead down to a tunnel that

connects to the Double Gate. This would
have been used in New Testament times
for accessing and exiting the Temple
Mount.

221
Chapter 66
Dome of the Rock (Muslim)
The Dome of the Rock is also called Qubbat Al-Sakhra.

Caliph Abd al-Malik began construction on this building
in 688 and finished it in 691 AD. 1300 years of tradition
and recent archaeological evidence strongly suggests
that the Dome of the Rock sets on the site of the
destroyed Jewish Temple and Most Holy Place. This
is the oldest existing Islamic building in the world. It is
an imitation of a Byzantine martyrium, which was an
octagonal-shaped structure for honoring or preserving
the relics of saints/martyrs. On the right side of the
photo, about half of the Dome of the Chain is also
visible. This would be in the general area of the Altar of
Burnt Offerings. (In this photo, east is toward the right.)
The construction of the Dome of the Rock was

completed 1300 years ago in 691 by Caliph Abd al-
Malik. It was designed to be a visual rival of the Church With the Dome of the Rock in the center, the two grey
of the Holy Sepulcher, which was the religious focus of domes of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher can be
the city when the Arabs conquered Jerusalem in 638. seen slightly to the left of the Dome of the Rock in the
The golden dome is 66 feet in diameter. Jerusalem skyline (in the upper right quadrant of
this photo).

222
When the Muslims took the city of Jerusalem in 638 Inside the Dome of the Rock is an inscription in Arabic
they realized the importance and impressiveness the script from 691-692 that runs almost 800 feet in a
Church of the Holy Sepulcher had inside the city. The narrow path around the octagonal walls as a form of
Church had become the center of the city. Islamic artwork. This inscription reads: O you People
of the Book, overstep not bounds in your religion, and
The Arab historian Muqaddasi wrote in 985: is it not of God speak only the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son
evident that Abd al-Malik, seeing the greatness of the of Mary, is only an apostle of God, and his Word which
martyrium of the Holy Sepulcher and its magnificence he conveyed unto Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from
was moved lest it should dazzle the minds of the him. Believe therefore in God and his apostles, and
Muslims and hence erected above the Rock the dome say not Three. It will be better for you. God is only one
which is now seen there? God. Far be it from his glory that he should have
a son.
The grey domes of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
were copied by the builders of the Dome of the Rock, Some say it was from this rock that Muhammad
but were then covered in a golden color to show ascended to heaven on a horse with the angel Gabriel.
visitors the superiority of Islam. But, this is a 12th century tradition developed from a
dream that involved Muhammads night journey, as
The Dome was built over the site of the Jewish temple described in the Koran in Sura 17:1:
for the same reason. In fact, from the day the Dome of
the Rock was built, it has been seen by Muslims as a Most glorified is the One who summoned His
replacement of the Jewish Temple on the very site of servant (Muhammad) during the night, from the
the temples built by Solomon, Zerubbabel and Herod. Sacred Masjid (of Mecca) to the farthest place of
prostration, whose surroundings we have blessed,
The octagonal structure of the Dome of the Rock also in order to show him some of our signs. He is the
mimics the shape that early Christians used to encircle Hearer, the Seer.
and enshrine important holy sites. The remains of an
ancient octagonal church built over the house of Peter
But, Jerusalem is not mentioned in this passage, nor
in Capernaum are an example of this.
is Jerusalem ever mentioned anywhere in the Koran.
The Dome of the Rock was built 200 years before
this tradition began to be told, so although this is the
reason given for where it was built, that cannot be right.
Looking southeast at the Dome of the Rock. The

dome on the far right is the Dome of Ascension where
early Muslim tradition says Muhammad ascended into
heaven. Today the Muslim claim has changed to say
he ascended from the rock under the Dome of the
Rock. The dome on the left of the photo is the Dome
of the Chain, which is where the Altar of Burnt Offering
was located, in front of the Jewish Temple. The other
smaller domes and small rock structures are wells
leading down to some of the many cisterns under the
Temple Mount.

223
The Dome of the Rock is octagonal and covered with
black, red and cream colored marble inlays. Glazed
tiles of royal blue, white, yellow and green cover the
upper portion of the walls. There are long quotes from
the Koran written all around the outside of the building.
The inside glimmers with polished marble, stained-

glass windows, golden mosaics and woodwork. Two
series of arches supported by columns, called arcades,
enclose the rock mass that is the top of the original
Mount Moriah in the center of the building.
Detail of the tile and Arabic script on the outside

surface of the Dome of the Rock.

224
When you look up to the sky and see the sun,
the moon and the stars all the heavenly array
do not be enticed into bowing down to them
and worshiping things the Lord your God has
apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
- Deuteronomy 4:19
In both courts of the temple of the Lord, Manasseh

built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his
own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination
and consulted mediums and spiritists.
- 2 Kings 21:5
Josiah did away with the pagan priests appointed

by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high
The dome on the Dome of the Rock was covered with places of the towns of Judah and on those around
an aluminum and bronze alloy in 1960. In 1998 it was Jerusalem those who burned incense to Baal, to
covered with 176 pounds of gold (the value in 2010 the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all
dollars was $3,043,087) that was donated by King the starry hosts. - 2 Kings 23:5
Hussein of Jordan. The diameter of this dome is 66
feet compared to the 69.5 foot width of the dome on
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which the builders It is interesting to speculate how and when the Lord will
attempted to imitate. This dome is 67 feet high, and the deal with and remove this 1300-year-old pagan shrine
dome of the Holy Sepulcher rises 69 feet. that is on the very spot where he put his name. The
moon on the top of the Dome of the Rock is aligned so
that if you look through it, you will look straight toward
Mecca, the seat of the Black Stone.
The Black Stone is an irregular 10 by 12 inch oval

that, according to Muslim tradition, fell from Heaven.
Scientists at the University of Copenhagen, while
differing on the meaning of it, agree that it came from
the sky. In 1980 they hypothesized that the Black
Stone is glass formed by the impact of a meteorite that
fell 6,000 years ago. The meteorite would have been
destroyed on impact, creating a crater of silica glass
that was fused into the stone by the heat of impact.
Interestingly, a site in the desert 680 miles east of
Mecca along an ancient caravan route is known for
its craters and other blocks of silica glass just like the
Black Stone.
A crescent moon whose tips touch, creating a full The tradition of the Black Stone reaches far back into
moon, sets atop the dome of the Dome of the Rock. the ancient history of the Middle East. It is said to have
The moon is a traditional symbol of the moon-gods fallen from Heaven to show Adam and Eve where
throughout the ancient Middle East throughout history. to worship, but was lost during the Flood of Noah. It
The Sumerians worshipped the moon-god named Sin was later rediscovered when an angel revealed it to
whose symbol was the crescent moon. The temple Abraham, who then ordered his son Ishmael to build a
of Sin has been excavated in Abrahams old city of temple on the site where it had landed. The temple that
Ur. YHWH told Abraham to leave his culture, his land Ishmael built was called Kaaba, and the Black Stone
and his family who were worshippers of this pagan was embedded into one of its walls.
moon-god (Genesis 12:1; Joshua 24:2). Throughout
the Old Testament worship of the moon-god and other The Black Stone, fallen from the starry hosts of
heavenly hosts is forbidden and met with judgment: heaven, had already been worshipped for centuries
before the days of Muhammad. Tradition says that

225
during reconstruction of the Kaaba temple in 602 AD, princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, Let
Muhammad himself helped reset the Black Stone in us take possession of the pasturelands of God.
place before he ever received any revelations from ...Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord
Allah and long before writing the Koran. (YHWH) that you alone are the Most High over
all the earth. - Psalm 83:1-12, 18
It should be noted that the Kaaba temple was not
In 445 BC (Nehemiah 2:19), one of Israels enemies
originally a Muslim site. Long before Islam even
was Sanballat of Samaria. Sanballats name
existed, a moon-god named Al-ilah (in Arabic, al means
itself attests to the fact that, 1) the moon-god was
the and ilah, means deity) was worshipped there by
worshipped at that time, and 2) the moon-god was
the pre-Islamic pagans of Arabia. This moon-god, Allah,
associated with the name Allah. The name Sanballat
was the chief god honored at this time in Mecca.
comes from San or Sin, which is the name of the
moon-god combined with Allat, the feminine form of
Worship of the Black Stone was part of the ancient
Allah and the name of one of the moon-gods three
Middle Eastern worship of starry hosts that is
daughters.
condemned in the Jewish and Christian scriptures. Yet
strangely, according to Sura 22:26-37, Mohammed
The worship of the moon-god, the crescent moon
required that every Muslim make a pilgrimage to
symbol, the city of Mecca, the Black Stone that fell
see the stone at least once in his lifetime. Even now,
from Heaven, and the name of Allah had all been part
Muslims touch and kiss the Black Stone as part of their
of pagan worship in the Middle East for at least 2,000
worship in Mecca.
years before Muhammad arrived on the scene. The
fact that there is a crescent moon forming a circle at
In Judges 8:21, which took place around 1200 BC,
the top of the Dome of the Rock drawing attention to
Gideon is recorded as killing the leaders of the
Mecca where Muslims are required by Muhammad to
Midianites who had invaded the land of Israel from the
visit the Black Stone of the ancient moon-god is no
eastern desert. Notice that the symbol of the moon-
coincidence. Important questions remain as to how
god, the crescent, was present even then:
all this will be tied together for the Jews return to the
Temple Mount, for Gods judgment of the nations, and
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise yourself and
for the ultimate restoration of the Jewish nation.
fall upon us, for as the man is, so is his strength.
And Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna,
and he took the crescent ornaments that were on
the necks of their camels. -Judges 8:21, ESV
Psalm 83 uses Zebah and Zalmunna as an example of

Gods judgment:
O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be

not still. See how your enemies are astir, how your
foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire
against your people; they plot against those you
cherish. Come, they say, let us destroy them as
a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered
no more. With one mind they plot together; they
form an alliance against you the tents of Edom
(Jordan), and the Ishmaeliltes (Saudi Arabia), of
Moab (Jordan) and the Hagrites (Saudi Arabia or
Syria), Gebal (Lebanon), Ammon (Jordan) and
Amalek (Saudi Arabia), Philistia (Gaza Strip), with
the people of Tyre (Lebanon). Even Assyria (Syria,
Iraq, part of Iran and Turkey) has joined them to
lend strength to the descendants of Lot (Jordan).
Do to them as you did to Midian, as you did to
Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who perished
at Endor and became like refuse on the ground.
Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their

226
Chapter 67
Muslim Temple Mount: Al-Haram al-Sharif, or The Nobel Sanctuary (Muslim)
The Temple Mount is known in Jewish tradition
as Beth Yahweh or House of Yahweh Gods
dwelling place on earth. Jews, Christians and Muslims
traditionally believe that Solomon built his temple on
the Temple Mount, and according to tradition (not
scripture) that Adam is buried on the Temple Mount.
In 2007, after a landslide two years before made the

earthen ramp leading to the Mugrabi Gate unsafe and
in danger of collapse, the Israel Antiquities Authority
started work on the construction of a temporary
wooden pedestrian pathway to the Temple Mount.
The ramp to the Mugrabi Gate (Morocco Gate) is to
the right in this photo. Before the Jews excavated the
Western Wall and removed the dirt built up over time,
the gate was at ground level.
Toni ascends the wooden ramp over the Western Wall
up to the Morocco Gate, which is the only entrance to
the Temple Mount for non-Muslims.

227
above the lintel of the gate. A new gate called Bab
al-Magharbeh was installed in the Western Wall above
the level of the Barclay Gate. The local residents of this
part of Jerusalem at that time had come from Morocco,
so the gate was named for them. This gate remains
open today. It is the only entrance to the Temple Mount
non-Muslims are allowed to use.
The Arabic and English sign for the Morocco Gate is

posted in painted tile.
A view of the southern wall of the Temple Mount with

the Cup fountain behind and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to
the right. Notice the pavement stones. Herods Temple
Mount stones are about 3 feet below these.
The Time Between 70 AD and 638 AD
When the Muslims conquered Jerusalem in 638 there

were no buildings on the Temple Mount to destroy.
The Christians had left the Temple Mount in ruins, and
had even used it as a garbage dump. The temple was
completely destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, but
they found it too difficult to dismantle the entire massive
stone wall enclosing the Temple Mount.
In 132-135 AD, after their second revolt against Rome,

the Jews may have attempted to rebuild the Temple.
In 135 Hadrian built a temple to Jupiter on the Temple

Mount along with two statues of Roman emperors.
In 363 the Roman emperor Julian the Apostate gave the

Jews permission to rebuild their temple. He did this to
spite the Christians. However, the Jews did not get far,
since Julian died in battle against the Persians that same
year. Ammianus Marcellinus, a friend of Julian wrote:
This is the layout of the 35 acres on the Temple Mount
today. The Muslims call this The Noble Sanctuary, or
Julian thought to rebuild at an extravagant expense
Al-Haram al-Sharif. Today the Dome of the Rock sets
the proud Temple once at Jerusalem, and committed
where the Jewish Temple used to be, and the Dome of
this task to Alypius of Antioch. Alypius set vigorously
the Chain where the Altar of Burnt Offering was.
to work, and was seconded by the governor of the
The Morocco Gate (also, Mugrabi Gate and Gate
province; when fearful balls of fire, breaking out
of the Moors or in Arabic Bab al-Magharbeh, and
near the foundations, continued their attacks, till the
in Hebrew: Shaar HaMughrabim) is located on the
workmen, after repeated scorching, could approach
Western Wall. Barclay's Gate was covered up over
no more: and he gave up the attempt.
time as the ground outside the Temple Mount rose

228
The earthquake in Galilee in 363, sabotage, an
accidental fire, and a lack of Jewish commitment to
the project may have been the real reasons it was
abandoned. Of course, the death of Julian and the
possibility of Divine intervention were also heavy
factors leading to the end of the Temple building in 363.
From 363 until 638 there was no building activity on the

Temple Mount under the Christian emperors of Rome
or Byzantium.
Looking east at the southeast corner of the Temple

Mount. The Mount of Olives is in the background.
Solomon's Stables are directly below. The Triple Gate
is to the right and down (on the other side of the wall).
This photo was taken standing against the southern

wall of the Temple Mount between the Double Gate
and the Triple Gate, looking north-northwest. The Al-
Aqsa Mosque is on the left, and the Dome of the Rock
is in front and to the right of center.
When the Muslims took the city of Jerusalem from the

Christians in 638 AD, the Caliph Omar was given a tour
of the city by the patriarch of Jerusalem, a Christian
monk named Sophronius. Omar wanted to see the spot
where the Jewish Temple had been. For six centuries This photo was taken from the southeast corner of the
the Christians had let the Temple Mount lie in ruins in Temple Mount wall looking west. Toni is walking toward
order to fulfill Jesus words that there will not be left the southern wall. The Al-Aqsa Mosque with its dome is
here one stone upon another. In fact, they used it as a the building in the center of the photo. Notice the wide
garbage dump. open space, but also the trees to the right. In certain
places on the Temple Mount there are many trees,
A simple wooden sanctuary was built south of the including both older trees and newly planted ones.
Jewish Temple, and around 660 a house of prayer was
built on the Temple Mount at the blessed site where
the Temple stood. According to the writings of Arculf,
a Christian visitor to Jerusalem from 679-688, the
Muslims had built an oblong house of prayer, which
they pieced together with upright planks and large
beams over some ruins at that famous place where
once there stood the magnificent Temple.
In the minds of the early Muslims (and as recorded in

their writings), the buildings they eventually built on the
Temple Mount constituted the restoration of the Jewish
site. The Dome of the Rock was the Muslim version of
the Temple restored. It competed with the Church of
the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and with the shrines
Standing in the southeast corner of the Temple Mount
in Mecca and Medina of internal Muslim political
looking northwest at the Dome of the Rock.
opponents.

229
Both Jewish and Muslim tradition says that Mount Hershel Shanks records in his book Jerusalems
Moriah is Eden and that the rivers of Eden flow beneath Temple Mount:
the Temple Mount. The book of Jubilees, which was
written in the 100s BC and was considered authoritative Yassar Arafat told the American negotiator Dennis
scripture by the Dead Sea community, says: Ross, and others, that even if Herods Temple did exist,
it was not in Jerusalem, but in Nablus, a city about 30
The Garden of Eden was the Holy of Holies and miles north of Jerusalem. Arafat was referring to the
the dwelling of the Lord. - Jubilees 8:19 Samaritan Temple on Mt. Gerizim (in Nablus). Arafat
admitted to President Clinton at Camp David that his
faith forbade him from recognizing the existence of
The inside of Solomons Temple was filled with
the Jewish Temple saying, I am a religious man and
engraved trees:
will not allow it to be written of me [in history] that I
have ...confirmed the existence of the so-called temple
Around all the walls of the house he carved
underneath the mountain.
engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and
open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms.
But Arafat did admit the existence of Herods Temple
- 1 Kings 6:29
when he said:
The Jews have no claim to the whole area of the
The interior of the Dome of the Rock also includes Haram al-Sharif. They [the Israelis} excavated
mosaics with tree, foliage, bush, jewel and floral motifs. everywhere and they didnt find a single stone from
the Temple [of Solomon], just some stones from
the Temple of Herod. (Jerusalems Temple Mount:
From Solomon to the Golden Dome, by Hershel
Shanks, The Continuum International Publishing
Group Inc., 2007, page 3.)
Standing to the north of the Dome of the Rock looking

south through the trees.
Beginning in 1996 the Muslim Waqf (the Muslim

group that is charged with overseeing the Temple
Mount) began working on and under the Temple
Mount to create this large stairway down into what
the Crusaders called "Solomon's Stables". There was
no archaeological oversight of this enormous project,
although much ancient soil and all its archaeological
remains were removed with bulldozers and other types
of heavy equipment.
Looking west between the Dome of the Rock on the left

and the northern wall on the right.

230
The Muslims claim that there is an ancient mosque in Solomon's Stables on the other side (right/south) of the
large arched doors at the bottom of the staircase. While it is not an ancient mosque, by the time the illegal and
unauthorized construction was done, it did house the Marwani Musalla Mosque, which can hold up to 7,000
people. The excavated area that we see in this photo is 18,000 square feet large and 36 feet deep. In 2001,
Israeli police watched bulldozers destroy ancient structures. The archaeological soil was removed in hundreds
of truck loads and dumped into in the Kidron Valley. There are reports that remains from the 700s BC and from
the Solomons Temple, Hasmonean symbols, decorated Temple stones with ancient Hebrew inscriptions, and
innumerable potsherds and pottery from both Herods Temple and the Roman period were uncovered during
these destructive digs on the Temple Mount.
This photo was taken on the Muslim platform where

the Dome of the Rock stands. The Herodian pavement
is about 3 feet below this pavement. This view is
looking north toward where the eastern courtyard of
A supply pile of construction material still lies outside the Temple would have been. The Mount of Olives is
the fence near the new staircase down into the to the right (east). To the left on the edge of the photo,
new mosque. where the columns of the Dome of the Chain are seen,
is where the activities of Israels Altar of Burnt Offering
would have occurred. The Temple, now the Dome of
the Rock, is a little further to the left of this photo.

231
A view looking over the Kidron Valley at the Mount of

Olives from the Temple Mount platform a few feet in
front of the location of the Altar of Burnt Offering. The
Red Heifer was sacrificed on the summit of the Mount
Olives, so the High Priest who offered that sacrifice Inside the Golden Gate, or Eastern Gate. This photo is
could have looked directly into the Temple. The Temple looking east. Notice that if the Gates were not blocked,
would be directly behind me when I took this photo. a person entering would have to ascend a stairway to
reach the ground level of the Temple Mount.
El Kas, or The Cup, used for Muslim purification. It is in

front of Al-Aqsa (in the background) and the Dome of
the Rock.
A close up of the inside of the blocked Golden Gate on

the east side of the Temple Mount.

232
The Dome of Ascension (Qubbat al-Miraj) was built
to the northwest of the Dome of Rock, on the same
platform. It was built before the Crusaders arrived and
is mentioned in documents dating from 903 AD. The
current Dome of Ascension was rebuilt in 1200 AD
using Crusader material. It is claimed to be the place
from which Muhammad ascended to Heaven. Even
early Muslim writings clearly indicate that the spot
marked by the Dome of Ascension was believed to be
the original spot of Muhammads legendary ascent into
heaven. In more recent times, however, the location of
Muhammads ascension to heaven has been moved
inside in the Dome of the Rock in order to establish
a Muslim claim of holiness to the location marked by
the Dome of the Rock. Previously, the Muslims had
claimed the rock under the Dome was the location
of the Ark of the Covenant kept inside the Most Holy
Place of Solomons Temple.The inscriptions above the
columns inside the Dome of the Rock make no mention
of Muhammad ascending from the rock beneath the
Dome of the Rock, nor do they mention the night
journey of Sura 17:1.
The Dome of the Rock was built over the rock that was
the apex of Mount Moriah (Moriah means Yahweh is
seen [here]). It is the place where Solomon built his
temple, according to 2 Chronicles 3:1:
The northwest stairs that take people up to the Muslim Solomon began to build the House of the Lord in
platform from the ground level of the Temple Mount. Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. - 2 Chronicles 3:1
Notice, as mentioned earlier, the bottom row of steps
that are the same level as the Temple Mount pavement
stones. This is the outside of the Western Wall of
the Temple Mount of the Old Testament and of the
Hasmoneans. It is not running in a straight line with the
Muslim platform seen in the background.
The Dome of Ascension as viewed from west-

These are the northwest steps from the Temple Mount northwest looking east-southeast. According to early
pavement up to the Muslim platform. The small dome Muslim tradition Muhammad ascended into heaven
at the top of the stairs is the Dome of Ascension. This from here. The Mount of Olives is in the background,
is where Muhammads legendary ascent into Heaven and the edge of the Dome of the Chain is in the middle
supposedly began. of the right edge of this photo.

233
The bedrock of Mount Moriah can be seen under the

Dome of the Ascension. This is what the bedrock
covered by the Dome of the Rock looks like. Some
theories regarding the location of the Temple of
Solomon place the Holy of Holies right here. But
according to tradition, scripture and archaeology,
the Holy of Holies was most likely under the Dome
of the Rock.
This is the Ablution Gate, or Bab al-Matarah, which

is located on the west side of the Temple Mount and
leads into the Muslim Quarter of the city. Directly
behind me when I took this photo was the stairway
seen in the next photo that leads up to the west side of
the Dome of the Rock.

234
Several Temple Mount gates are currently open:
1. Gate of the Tribes (Bab al-Asbat) - northeast
corner
2. Gate of Remission (Bab al-Huttah) - north side
3. Gate of Darkness (Bab al-Atim) - north side
4. Gate of Bani Ghanim (Bab al-Ghawanima) -
northwest corner
5. Council Gate/Inspector's Gate (Bab al-Nazer)
- west side
6. Iron Gate (Bab al-Hadid) - west side near the
"Little Western Wall"
7. Cotton Merchant's Gate (Bab al- Qattanin) - the
Dome of the Rock can be viewed through this
gate on the west side
8. Ablution Gate (Bab al-Matarah) - west side
9. Tranquility Gate (Bab al-Salam) - west side
10. Chain Gate (Bab al-Silsileh) - west side and
may be the Kiponos Gate from Herod's temple
which is one of four gates on the west side of the A staircase leading up to the Dome of the Rock from
Temple Mount mentioned by Josephus. the west side, with the Ablution Gate (Bab al-Matarah)
11. Mugrabi Gate (Bab al-Magharbeh) - west side; behind.
used by non-Muslims
These six gates of the Temple Mount are sealed

closed:
Golden Gate (Bab al-Zahabi) - east side; built
around 520 by Justinian I on top of the ruins of the
original Eastern Gate
Single Gate - south side; once led under the
Temple Mount
Huldah Gates (Bab al-Thulathe) - south side; the
Huldah Gates are two sets of gates (the Double
Gate, which is partially blocked by a Crusader
tower and used to lead to the Temple Mount, and
the Triple Gate which also led to steps leading to
the surface of the Temple Mount)
Barclay's Gate - a gate from Herod's temple
(aka, the Coponius' Gate) located under the
Mugrabi Gate
Warren's Gate - a gate from the time of Herod's
temple that led to a stairway that led to the surface
of the Temple Mount
Along the western wall of the Temple Mount on the

inside looking south.

235
Chapter 68
St. Annes Church (Crusader)
Saint Annes Church was built by the Crusaders, the
Roman Catholic Christian Europeans who came to
deliver Jerusalem from the hands of the Muslims.
The church of St. Anne was built between 1131 and
1138 over the traditional site of the home of Jesus
grandparents (Anne and Joachim, Marys parents).
According to Roman Catholic tradition, Mary was born
on this site. Tradition also says that Anne and her
husband had no children until Anne turned to God in
prayer. Mary, Jesus mother, was then conceived and
came into existence without any stain of human sin.
This is the known as the Immaculate Conception.
The reason this church is particularly noteworthy does

not have anything to do with the legends of Anne or
Mary, but that it is one of the few remaining Crusader
buildings still retaining the original construction. One of
the main reasons this church exists yet today and was
not destroyed when Muslims recaptured Jerusalem
in 1189, is because in 1192 Saladin converted it into
a Muslim theological school. The church, or school,
continued to be used until about 1500 before it was
abandoned. By 1856 it was falling apart. The Ottomans
This church dedicated to St. Anne preserves the
gave the church to France as a token of appreciation
original design and construction of a Crusader church
for the help the Ottoman Turks received during the
built in 1138 AD. On the right corner of the church is the
Crimean War, and the church was restored to its
Bell tower.
original condition. Because of this, what we see today
is basically what the Crusaders built. This fact is even
more amazing when one compares it to the Church of
the Holy Sepulcher, which is also a Crusader church
but cluttered with 800 years worth of tradition, relics
and paraphernalia.
The Crusaders designed the churchs acoustics to

compliment the singing of Gregorian chants, so that
even today the sound of a group singing the simplest
hymn is enchanting. This church is right beside the
Pool of Bethesda, just inside the Lions Gate in the
Muslim Quarter. Today, St. Annes is a Greek
Catholic Church.
The facade of the Crusader church dedicated to St.

Anne. In front of the church is a potted plant setting
on the opening of a cistern that gives access to
water below.

236
The windows and arch on the front of the church. The arch reaching a point at the top makes it a typical Crusader
style arch. Note that Saladins 1192 inscription is under the arch.

237
The Arabic inscription of Saladin from July 25, 1192 is

just above the door. It commemorates the conversion A close up of the altar of St. Annes, the Crusader church.
of this church into a Muslim theological school just 54
years after the Crusaders finished building it.
The Crusader-style domed ceiling inside St. Anne's Church.
Looking at the altar at the front, on the inside of

the church.
A window covering in the church that is almost 900

years old.

238
Chapter 69
Sultans Pool (Herodian, Roman and Muslim)
A flat area in the Hinnom Valley west of the Old City,
which today is known as Sultans Pool, was likely a
hippodrome for racing chariots In Herods day. It was
later made into a water reservoir during the Roman
and Byzantine periods, by means of a dam that was
constructed in the Valley of Hinnom on the south side
of the Hippodrome. The pool is about 220 feet wide
and 550 feet long. It collected rainwater and overflow
from the older Herodian aqueduct that approached the
pool from the west and looped around the north side
before it entered the city. The Ottoman sultans rebuilt
the walls of the dam in the 1380s and again 1536.
Today, as seen in the photos below, Sultans Pool is
home to concerts and festivals. Looking west at Sultan's Pool. On the far side, the
Herodian aqueduct from Bethlehem approaches the
pool and turns right (north) before turning back west
to enter the city. The pool sets in the bottom of the
Looking down from the west side of the Old City at Hinnom Valley with a dam built across the south end
Sultans Pool. To the left (south) behind the bleachers (just off the left end of this photo). During the time
is the ancient dam that held the water. Today this site of Herod this area may have been the hippodrome
that was used for sporting events in Herods day is mentioned by Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews,
again a place for entertainment - concerts and other 15:8:1) and used for entertainment such as chariot
open air shows. races and horse races.

239
Chapter 70
Citadel (Hasmonean, Herodian, Roman, Byzantine, Muslim, Crusader, Later Muslim)
On the west side of the Old City beside the Jaffa Gate stood before Herod Antipas in this citadel on the night
are the remains of the Citadel, which served as a he was betrayed. The Jewish revolt began here in 66
fortress to defend the northwest side of the ancient AD when Jewish rebels attacked and burnt the palace,
city of Jerusalem. The Hasmoneans were the first and it was also the headquarters of the Tenth Roman
to defend this western portion of the city with a wall Legion for 200 years after that revolt. The Crusaders
around 150 BC. Herod built his royal palace and three and the Muslims used this location as well, rebuilding
towers (Hippicus, Phasael and Mariamne) here. Jesus the towers and walls, and adding more of their own.
This is a model of the Citadel today.

240
This is a view looking south at the wall line used by the Hasmoneans when they originally enclosed this area.
Herod then reinforced the wall and its towers. This line of wall continues south and connects with the wall that we
see today (Suleimans Wall from 1535) that is just south of the tall Muslim mineret in the background.
A close up of a section of the wall built by the Looking down at some of the residences that were built
Hasmoneans around 150 BC. inside the citadel wall.

241
A Hasmonean Tower that sat on the outside of the

Hasmonean wall.
A view from the top of the Citadel looking south along

the western wall of the Old City.
A corridor that runs around the top of a tower in the

Citadel next to the Jaffa Gate. It dates from the 1500s
and held archers and other defenders.
The so-called (and erroneously called) Tower of David
is a Muslim minaret located in the Citadel. It is a
familiar landmark and easily recognizable in Jerusalem.

Section G
242
Section G
Chapter 71
A Treasure Map
This final section is a collection of things that need to This Roman column was set in place around 200 AD
be highlighted since they shed light on the history of near the camp of the Tenth Roman Legion, which
Jerusalem, but were not covered elsewhere in had been stationed in Jerusalem since 70 AD. Today
this book. this pillar is located in the Christian Quarter at an
intersection of four covered streets, which is up a
narrow road going north, just inside the Jaffa Gate. The
inscription reads:
Marco Iunio
Maximo
Legato Augustorum
Legionis X Fretensis
C. Domitius Sergius
Antoninianae
Strator eius
The inscription on the column recognizes Marcus
Iunius Maximus who was the governor of the province
of Judea and commander of the Tenth Roman Legion.
Marcus Maximus is identified by two titles:
1. He is Legate of the Augusts (Legato
Augustorum). Being a legate means he held the
office of general in the Roman army and that he
was from the senatorial class. In this case, he was
also appointed as the Governor of Judea.
2. He is also the general and commander of the
Tenth Roman Legion known as Legio X Fretensis,
or Tenth Legion of the Sea Strait. This was the
legion (about 4,500 men) organized by Augustus
in 40 BC to fight during the Civil War against Marc
Antony, who attempted to dissolve the Roman
Republic. The symbol of the Tenth Legion of the
Sea Strait was a bull, a ship, and the god Neptune.
This Tenth Legion was stationed in Jerusalem
for 200 years and is last recorded to exist around
410 AD.
The emperor, or Augusts referred to in the phrase

Legate of the Augusts would have been Septimius
Severus. The column and inscription were erected by
C. Domitius Sergius Honoratus, (C. Domitius Sergius
Antoninianae in the fifth and sixth lines), one of
Marcus Maximus aids.

Jerusalem History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture G.71
243
This is an Attic base of a Roman column next to the

column above. The number 4 is inscribed on the
second layer on the coved base as , which is the
Greek letter Delta. The number indicates that this
column base was the fourth in a row of columns. It has
not yet been determined which building these columns
belonged to.
A Roman column stands in the Batei Mahase Square

with the arches of the Rothschild House (built in
1871) in the background. Scratched on the drum of
this Ionic capital is the Roman numeral 9, written
VIIII. The number 9 is a reference number engraved
by the designers of the column to indicate to the
builders where this column should be positioned. The
placement of the number on the drum indicates that
this portion of the column was positioned at the top of a
column that could have been 30 feet tall.
The Roman inscribed Delta which represents the

number 4. This would have been the fourth column in a
series of columns.

Section G
244
This Roman column from the reign of Vespasian (69-79
AD) and his son Titus (79-81 AD), was found built into
the foundation of a Umayyad building constructed by
the Muslims around 661-700 AD. This pillar mentions
Vespasian, Titus, Lucius Flavius Silva (commander
of the Tenth Legion from 73-80 AD), and the Tenth
Legion itself. Notice the fifth line has been chiseled off
to remove Lucius name. This column was probably
originally part of the Cardo columns and was likely set
in place by the Romans around 79 AD. The inscription
and its translation are below.
The translation is:

Imperator Caesar
Vespasianus
Augustus, Imperator Titus Cae-
sar Vespasianus Augustus Filius
[Lucius Flavius Silva legatus]
Augusti pro praetore
Legio X Fretensis
A Roman street game marked in the pavement of the The square Roman game on the original Cardo
Cardo in the Jewish Quarter. The square shapes cut pavement stones.
inside of each other provided the playing spaces of a
game used sometime after 135 AD.

245
The original Cardo pavement is preserved in this photo An ancient wine press, or possibly a well that provided
with the Roman game board cut into the lower left access to a cistern below, sets in the modern street of
stone of the original street . the Jewish Quarter as large planter for a tree.

Section G
246
This is the view of what is called "Hezekiah's Pool" but is thought to be a reservoir from the time of Herod that
received water from aqueducts that are still visible outside the Jaffa Gate. It also may have been a quarry outside
the city where stones were cut for an Old Testament wall to the east of here. It is located in the Christian Quarter
and in this photo is viewed from the Petra Hotel which is just inside the Jaffa Gate across from the Citadel. The
Church of the Holy Sepulcher is not in this photo but is just off the top edge. At one time the courtyard around
the reservoir was encircled with inns and rest stops for travels and royal couriers. Today these buildings are
workshops, and the pool is a rubbish dump. This site has never been excavated, but there are plans to do so in
the future.

247
An ossuary that was used to store the bones of the
deceased after the body had decayed. The body would
be laid in a tomb for about a year. At the end of that
time, family members would return to collect the bones
and place them in an ossuary. The box of bones would
then be placed in a tomb along with the bones of other
deceased family members. The burial chamber, or
burial slab, could be used over and over through many
generations since each body only remained on the slab
until it had decomposed.
Ossuaries were placed in the

front of a tomb. This photo
shows a tomb from around the
time of Jesus. The tombs of
Old Testament times were cut
in a slightly different way, and
sometimes included a hole or
opening under the burial bench
where the bones would be
placed. As each person died
their bones would be collected
from the burial bench and laid
in the compartment underneath,
along with those of their
ancestors. In other words, the
dead persons bones would be
gathered and placed with the
bones of their fathers.
After that whole generation

had been gathered to their
fathers, another generation
grew up ... Judges 2:10

Section G
248
Chapter 72
The Future of Jerusalem
Israel lost their temple in 586 BC and were taken days yet in the future. They spoke of events that have
into Babylonian captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, just as yet to be fulfilled: a Temple that has not yet been built,
Jeremiah had prophesied. sacrifices that have not yet been restored, a whole
generation of people who have not yet lived their
In 539 BC, Cyrus of the Persians sent them back to lives. There is yet a future for Jerusalem that includes
Jerusalem to rebuild their Temple, just as Isaiah had a Temple to the Lord on the Temple Mount and a
prophesied. Jerusalem filled with Jews who are the descendents of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Even prophets of the New
In 168 BC, Antiochus Epiphanies of the Greek Empire Testament and members of the church age attest to
in Syria (the Seleucids) desecrated the temple and this fact in scripture.
ended Jewish sacrifices, but was resisted by Judas
Maccabeus who then cleansed the Temple to restore The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans concerning the
the daily sacrifice in 164 BC, just as Daniel had future of Israel:
prophesied.
I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no
In 70 AD Titus and the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, means! . . . Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to
dismantled the Temple, and scattered the Jewish fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because
people, just as Jesus had prophesied. of their transgression, salvation has come to
the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their
Since that time, history has seen almost 2,000 years transgression means riches for the world, and
of Gentile (Roman, Byzantine, Muslim, Crusader, their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much
Ottoman, British) domination of Jerusalem, the Temple greater riches will their fullness bring! . . . For if
Mount, and the people of Israel themselves, just as their rejection is the reconciliation of the world,
Jesus told us would happen: what will their acceptance be but life from
the dead? Romans 11:1, 11, 12, 15
This is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all
that has been written. There will be great distress
Why do we watch? Why do we wait? Because the
in the land and wrath against this people. They
fullness of Israel and their acceptance of Gods plan
will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners
in Jesus the Messiah, will result in greater riches and
to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on
life from the dead (that is, the resurrection into the
by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are
Kingdom of God).
fulfilled. - Jesus in Luke 21:22-24
So, what will happen between now and the time of the
This verse sums up well what all the photos, images Jews national acceptance of Jesus spoken of in the
and descriptions in this book testify to. What Jesus book of Zechariah?
said would happen has been exactly the situation in
Jerusalem from 70 AD until now. Even today, when I will pour out on the house of David and the
Israel is again a nation, the Temple Mount continues inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and
to be trampled on by the Gentiles and their pagan supplication. They will look to me, the one they
religion. Today we watch Jerusalem, waiting for the have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one
Age of the Gentiles to be fulfilled. mourns for an only child . . . On that day a fountain
will be opened to the house of David and the
Even though many of the words and set times spoken inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin
of by men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Jesus, and and impurity. - Zechariah 12:10; 13:1
others concerning Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple
have come to pass, many of their words are about

249
Initially, after the Temple Mount is secured and the
Temple of God is built, the Jews will resume their daily
sacrifices and embrace a national peace compelled by
global events. They will believe that God has led them
into a golden age of peace through their faithfulness,
political pragmatism, and the recent appearance of key
leaders in Israel and the world. This simulated peace
will not last long, and its collapse will usher in the worst
days the world has ever seen. This will all be done in
preparation for the Lords return. Paul describes it
this way:
For you know very well that the day of the Lord
will come like a thief in the night. While people
are saying, Peace and safety, destruction will
come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a
pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But
you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day
should surprise you like a thief.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4
Daniel had predicted the events of 165 BC. He wrote

centuries earlier about the days of the Macabbees,
when Antiochus Epiphanes would set the altar of
Zeus in the Temple, which was overlooked by the
Akra fortress:
His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the

temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice.
They will set up the abomination that causes
desolation. - Daniel 11:31
This is a photo of the Golden Candle Stand prepared
by The Temple Institute specifically for use on the Likewise, Daniel also spoke of a similar event for a
Temple Mount in the next Temple. All the furniture, future day, and Jesus confirmed it would happen. Once
utensils and clothing required for the operation of the again in the future, the Jewish Temple sacrifices will
Jewish Temple have been prepared by The Temple be interrupted and an image will be set up to defile the
Institute and are ready to be moved to the Temple Temple, making it unclean for Jewish worship. First
Mount when the time comes. This includes the recently note that the words of Daniel describe this vile image,
completed stone altar that is waiting to be moved to the but also notice he mentions the unsuccessful peace
Temple Mount even before the Temple is built, so that that had seemingly been secured by a covenant:
sacrifices may begin as soon as possible.
He will confirm a covenant with many for one
First, the Temple of God will be rebuilt on the Temple seven. In the middle of the seven he will put an
Mount. This Temple will still be standing when Jesus end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the
returns, as Paul describes in 2 Thessalonians: temple he will set up an abomination that causes
desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured
He (the man of lawlessness from v.3) will oppose out on him. - Daniel 9:27
and will exalt himself over everything that is called
God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in
Gods temple, proclaiming himself to be God . . .
and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom
the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his
mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 8

Section G
250
Jesus understood these words to be yet in the future the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up and
and connected them to his Second Coming in Matthew: remain in its place . . . It will be inhabited; never
again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.
So when you see standing in the holy place the - Zechariah 14:2-5, 8-10
abomination that causes desolation spoken
of through the prophet Daniel let the reader
Isaiah and Ezekiel also describe Jerusalem after Jesus
understand then let those who are in Judea flee
return as a mountain that sets above all others:
to the mountains . . . For then there will be great
distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world
In the last days the mountain of the Lords temple
until now and never to be equaled again.
will be established as chief among the mountains;
- Matthew 24:15, 16, 21
it will be raised above the hills, and all nations
will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say,
This broken peace and the violation of the new Jewish Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
Temple will bring back to the world age-old anti-Jewish to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us
sentiments that call for the destruction of the Jews. his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. The
(I am compelled to point out that this has been the law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from
prevailing attitude throughout the ages - from the Jerusalem. - Isaiah 2:2-3
Pharaohs of Egypt, the Midianites and the Philistines,
from Assyria, Babylon, Edom and the Seleucids. It
In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel
was continued by the Romans of Titus day, and then
and set me on a very high mountain on whose
again by Hadrian who believed he could end the
south side were some buildings that looked like
Jewish presence in Jerusalem, and even on the earth.
a city. - Ezekiel 40:2
After the Romans, Jerusalem was overrun by Islam,
which was followed by persecution and rejection from
the Christian Crusaders. The Catholic influence on Ezekiel goes on to describe another new Temple that
the Reformers, combined with the Reformers own will be built in Jerusalem on this mountain (Ezekiel
ignorance, led them to again renounce the Jews and 40-47). It is in this Temple that the Lord, Jesus the
discount them a place in eschatology. Instead of seeing Messiah, will rule during the true golden age of the
what the scriptures say, the Reformers hubris inspired Kingdom of God on earth. Jesus spoke of this time
them to create an allegorical theology that replaced when he said:
literal references to the Jews with an allegorical
meaning of the saints - and the literal Jerusalem with When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all
the church. Even today the constant cry of the Muslim the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in
world is for the removal of the Jews from Israel and the heavenly glory. - Matthew 25:31
return of Jerusalem to full Muslim control.) This wicked

attitude is found to have again permeated the world in
In a vision of the future Ezekiel saw the Lord coming
the final chapter of Zechariah, and it will continue until
toward this Temple as he crossed the Kidron Valley
it is ultimately dealt with by the Lord:
from the Mount of Olives after having returned to earth:
I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight
I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from
against it; the city will be captured, the houses
the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing
ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city
waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. . .
will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not
. The glory of the Lord entered the temple through
be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out
the gate facing east. The Spirit lifted me up and
and fight against those nations, as he fights in the
brought me into the inner court, and the glory of
day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the
the Lord filled the temple. - Ezekiel 43:2-5
Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount
of Olives will be split in two from east to west,
forming a great valley . . . On that day living water
will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern
sea and half to the western sea, in the summer
and in winter. The Lord will be king over the whole
earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his
name the only name. The whole land, from Geba
to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like

251
Final Comments
From the very beginning Jerusalem has survived them again to the city through Cyrus, king of Persia.
countless conquests and been home to many peoples. Jerusalem was the setting for much of the ministry of
Now today, when we visit Jerusalem we stand at the Jesus Christ, and more importantly, Jerusalem was the
crossroads of both history past and eternity future. site of Jesus' death, burial, resurrection and ascension.
The revelation of God's plan for Jerusalem began in In days to come, Jerusalem will be the center of other
the book of Genesis as it appeared in Abraham's life. great battles and will become the government seat
Then, during the reign of David, the Lord began to use of the coming Kingdom of God. The same scriptures
Jerusalem as his base of operations on earth. The that record Jerusalem's past also describe its glorious
Lord continued to use the city of Jerusalem, the people future when the Lord returns to redeem his people,
of Israel, and the Temple Mount on Mount Moriah restore the earth, and establish his kingdom. To stand
throughout the days of the kings of Judah. Later, the in Jerusalem is to stand in the middle of history and
Jews were removed from Jerusalem when God judged gaze into the future.
Israel by the Babylonian Empire, but he later restored

Bibliography
252
Bibliography
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White Star, Vercelli, Italy, 2009.
DK Eyewitness Travel Guides. Jerusalem and the Holy Land. DK Publishing, Inc, New York, 2002.
Eck, Werner. Biblical Archaeology Review, Vol.33, No.5, Sep/Oct 2007. Hadrians Hard-Won Victory:
Romans Suffer Severe Losses in Jewish War.
Georgioui, Alexia. Insight Guides: Israel. Apa Publications GmbH and Co. Verlag KG, 2010.
Mazar, Eilat. The Complete Guide to the Temple Mount Excavations. Shoham Academic Research and
Publication, 2002
Mazar, Eilat. The Palace of King David: Excavations at the Summit of the City of David Preliminary Report
of Seasons 2005-2007.Shoham Academic Research and Publication, Jerusalem, 2009.
Mazar, Eilat. Preliminary Report on The City of David Excavations 2005. Shalem Press, Jerusalem, 2007.
Murphy-OConnor, Jerome. The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide. Oxford University Press Inc.,
New York, 2008.
Rasmussen, Carl G. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible Revised Edition. Zondervan, Michigan, 2010.
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Ritmeyer, Leen and Kathleen. Jerusalem in the Year 30 AD. Carta, Jerusalem, 2004.
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Ritmeyer, Leen. The Quest: Revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Carta, Jerusalem, 2006.
Ritmeyer, Leen and Kathleen. Secrets of Jerusalems Temple Mount Updated and Enlarged Edition. Biblical
Archaeology Society, Washington, DC, 2006.
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Herods Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
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Constantine the Great, and Oration in Praise of Constantine. Hendrickson Publishers, 1995.
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International Publishing Group, London, 2007.
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Israel Exploration Society and Carta, Jerusalem, 1993.
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Treasures hidden Here?
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http://www.archpark.org The Jerusalem Archaeological Park
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Jerusalem

History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture

Last Hope Books and Publications

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Jerusalem: History, Archaeology and Apologetic Proof of Scripture

Copyright 2010 by Galyn Wiemers. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America by

Signature Book Printing. www.sbpbooks.com

Last Hope Books and Publications

A Division of Generation Word Bible Teaching Ministry

P.O. Box 399

Waukee, Iowa 50263

All scripture passages are from the New International Version

Cover design by Clint Hansen

Editing by Tim Vaniman

Photos by Galyn Wiemers and Toni Wiemers

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This book is dedicated to my wife Toni. . .

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Section A Introduction to Jerusalem

Section C Old Testament

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Section D Macabees and Hasmoneans

Section E New Testament

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Section F Roman, Muslim and Crusader Periods

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Section A: Introduction to Jerusalem

Later in Genesis 22:2 Abraham would return to Mount

Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you

This same place, Mount Moriah, was identified in

In 2000 BC Jerusalem and Mount Moriah were the

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The hill just north of the City of David was used as a

Then around 980 BC, David rebuilt the altar of

Solomon spent seven years building the Temple.

David purchased Mount Moriah, from Araunah the

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen

So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold

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Jotham (750-735 BC)

He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord

Hezekiah (715-686 BC)

In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he

Hezekiah also built a wall around the western part of

Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of

In that day you looked to the weapons of the

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The rebuilding of the temple came to a standstill in

Then, because of the decree King Darius had

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The promise was good for 160 years until 172 BC

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Jerusalem at the time of Jesus was about 230 acres

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After a three-year war Emperor Hadrian defeated

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