By Netanel Doron
Israeli archaeologists believe they have found the quarry that provided the biblical King Herod with the huge stone blocks used to renovate the Second Temple compound. It was discovered in Ramat Shlomo, a relatively new suburb of Jerusalem about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) north of the Old City.
The municipality planned to build a school at the site, but archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) went in first to make sure that construction did not harm artifacts that could be buried there. In the wake of the find, Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski halted construction of the school and provided $90,000 for continuing the excavations.
The quarry covers an area of some 5,000 square meters (54,000 square feet) and consists of massive stone blocks from 9 to 24 feet (3 to 8 meters) long. This is the same size as the stones seen today on the foundations of the Temple Mount and parts of the Western Wall. The 20-ton stones were hewn out of bedrock.
Rabbi Haim Richman of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem sees this as a confirmation of the presence of God, saying the quarry was found at a time when Moslem authorities are trying to destroy any proof of the existence of two ancient Temples on the Temple Mount.
“God is sending a kiss to the Jewish people, as if He wants to say: ‘Do not fear, I did not forget you. There are those who want to give the Temple Mount away, and there are those who want to take it away from you, but I have great plans for you and the holy Temple. The Temple will be the center of the world again,’” Rabbi Richman said.
IAA archaeologist Yuval Baruch said the stone blocks were cut in steps: First, deep and narrow crevices were hewn around the projected piece of stone. Then dozens of iron stakes were driven into the bottom side of the stone block, a few inches apart, until the stone could be broken out of the bedrock. Archaeologists found one of these iron stakes, about 6 inches (15 cm.) in length, which was lodged in the stone for the past 2,000 years.
Members of the upper class at that time used this white limestone, called malcha (royal), for public buildings and palaces. But while many quarries have been found in and around Jerusalem, stones with these gigantic measurements could not have been hewn from them.
“This is the rst time stones which were used to build the Temple Mount walls were found,” Baruch said.
The quarry sits on Mount Shuafat, about 240 feet (75 meters) higher than the Temple Mount. A road was built next to it and oxen in pairs pulled the giant stones downhill to the temple area.
Archaeologists also found coins and pottery shards dating back to the time of Herod, who was the Jewish proxy ruler of the Holy Land under Roman occupation from 37 BC until his death around 4 BC. Known as the master builder, his most famous construction project was the renovation of the Second Temple, replacing a smaller structure built after the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.
The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
Archaeologist Ehud Nesher said the quarry was a massive public project worked by hundreds of slaves. “This is the work of Herod,” he said. “This is a sign of him.”
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