Mystery of gigantic stones used in Herod's Temple in Jerusalem solved

Jerusalem's Second Temple, considered the most holy site in Judaism, was built using large stones. Archaeologists have now found the quarry from where these stones were likely sourced. Talking about the discovery, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced in a statement that the quarry is spread over an area of 3,500 square metres in the Har Hotzvim area of Jerusalem. It contains stones used for the construction of the temple, with some of them weighing about 2.5 tonnes. They also found a stone jar supposedly used for purification purposes.

King Herod, who ruled the kingdom of Judea over 2,000 years ago, worked to restore the Second Temple. The quarry also dates back to around the same time. Archaeologists stated that this quarry was in use till around AD 70, during which time the Roman Empire conquered Jerusalem following a revolt.

The quarry came to light during excavations being done in the region before building a commercial complex. The statement added that the quarry site will be integrated with the new complex.

LiveScience reported Amos Frumkin, professor emeritus at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as saying that the discovery "provides valuable insights into the scale of construction activities in Jerusalem during its peak period".

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It reflects "the city's industrial capabilities and the immense resources that went into its monumental architecture," he added.

Jerusalem's Second Temple

The Second Temple was built after the Babylonians destroyed the first temple in 587 BC. Also known as Solomon's Temple, it was wrecked alongside the Kingdom of Judah. The Second Temple was completed during the reign of the Persian king Darius I.

The temple was refurbished and expanded in the 1st century BCE by Herod the Great. This is why it is also known as Herod's Temple. He turned it into a grand and imposing structure. The temple acted as the chief site of worship, ritual sacrifice (korban), and communal gathering for Jews. However, in 70 CE, the first Jewish–Roman War resulted in the destruction of the Second Temple.