2,800-year-old biblical wall in Jerusalem reveals climate crisis faced by the Kingdom of Judah, and the lessons it teaches us
Biblical discovery in Jerusalem - The origins of the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus is said to have healed a blind man, have been discovered in Jerusalem. A dam wall that was part of the structure is the “tangible” remains of a structure that, till now, was only mentioned in the Bible.
Pool of Siloam - Bible says Jesus healed a blind man here
Jesus is famously said to have healed a blind man, according to the Bible. Now, a discovery in Jerusalem has revealed the origins of the place where the Lord performed the miracle. Archaeologists have found a massive dam israel jewall in ancient Jerusalem that they say was part of the structure that formed the Pool of Siloam. The Telegraph reported that radiocarbon dating on materials found at the site confirmed that the construction was from the First Temple period.
Biblical dam wall found in Jerusalem is 2,800 years old
The primary structure was an enormous dam, and the wall now found measures 39 feet in height. Researchers say that it is around 2,800 years old. It was part of a sophisticated hydraulic system that helped bring water to the pool from the Gihon Spring.
Jesus told a blind man to wash himself in Pool of Siloam
The Gospel of John, in the Bible, talks about a blind beggar whom Jesus sent to the Pool of Siloam, where he told him to wash himself. Excavation Director Itamar Berko said that the discovery reveals "tangible remains" of the Pool of Siloam that show "its beginning from 2,800 years ago."
Discovery of Biblical dam wall in Jerusalem - Finding proves the dam that supported the Siloam Pool
He added that the "monumental damn wall" was huge and over 11 metres high. It has been dated to 2,800 years ago during the First Temple Period, the time when Kings Joash and Amaziah ruled. He said the precise dating points with "certainty" to a structure that formed the basis "for the construction of the Siloam Pool, which until now we knew only from the Bible and historical sources."
Biblical dam in Jerusalem is 68 feet in length and yet to be revealed
Berko says the wall likely stretches several more feet in length, as a large portion remains beyond the reach of current excavation methods. He says that it is 26 feet wide and more than 68 feet in length. The researchers said that the dam captured rainwater and directed it into a central basin. It stored water for drought, and also protected against flash flooding in the Tyropoeon Valley.
Biblical dam wall shows technological skills of ancient Jerusalem engineers
Archaeologists said that the dating of the dam showed that it is from the time the region witnessed erratic weather conditions. The rainfall was low, and the dam was supposedly a solution to a climate faced by the Kingdom of Judah. Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu said it shows the technological skill of ancient Jerusalem engineers.
Pool of Siloam in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem
Earlier findings at the site led officials to state that the Pool of Siloam in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem is a site of "historic, national and international significance", and will soon be opened for tourists visiting Jerusalem.
)
)
)
)
)