A sword in a scabbard that belonged to a Roman soldier and an engraving of the Temple’s menorah on a stone object were discovered during work the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted in the 2,000 year old drainage channel between the City of David and the Jerusalem Archaeological Garden
The channel served as a hiding refuge for the residents of Jerusalem from the
Romans during the destruction of the Second Temple.
During the course of work the Israel Antiquities
Authority carried out in Jerusalem’s ancient drainage channel, which begins in
the Siloam Pool and runs from the City of David to the archaeological garden
(near the Western Wall), impressive finds were recently discovered that breathe
new life into the story of the destruction of the Second Temple. The
excavations are being conducted on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority,
in cooperation with the Nature
and Parks Authority and are underwritten by the City of David
Foundation.
A 2,000 year old iron sword, still in its
leather scabbard, was discovered in work the
Israel Antiquities Authority is doing in the channel, which served as a hiding
refuge for the residents of Jerusalem from the
Romans at the time of the Second
Temple’s destruction. In
addition, parts of the belt that carried the sword were found. According to the
excavation directors Eli Shukron of the Israel Antiquities Authority and
Professor Ronny Reich of the University of Haifa, “It seems that the sword
belonged to an infantryman of the Roman garrison stationed in Israel at the
outbreak of the
Great Revolt against the Romans in 66 CE. The sword’s fine state of
preservation is surprising: not only its length (c. 60 cm), but also the
preservation of the leather scabbard (a material that generally disintegrates
quickly over time) and some of its decoration”.
A stone object adorned with a rare engraving of
a menorah was found in the soil beneath
the street, on the side of the drainage channel. According to Shukron and
Professor Reich, “Interestingly, even though we are dealing with a depiction of
the seven-branched candelabrum, only five branches appear here. The portrayal
of the menorah’s base is extremely important because it clarifies what the base
of the original menorah looked like, which was apparently tripod shaped”. The
fact that the stone object was found at the closest proximity to the Temple
…/2
Mount to date is also important. The researchers
suppose a passerby who saw the menorah with his own eyes and was amazed by its
beauty incised his impressions on a stone and afterwards tossed his scrawling
to the side of the road, without imagining that his creation would be found
2,000 years later.
Click on the
link below to download high resolution photographs:
-
The
sword with remains of the scabbard on it.
Photographic credit:
Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority -
The
stone engraved with the image of the menorah. Photographic credit: Vladimir
Naykhin.
For
further information, kindly contact:
Yoli
Shwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority spokesperson, 052-5991888 dovrut@israntique.org.il
Osnat
Eitan, Nature and Parks Authority spokesperson, 057-7762013
Udi
Ragones, City of David Foundation spokesman, 054-4305208.
