A newly discovered, over 3,500-year-old, massive trench separating the City of David and the upper sections of Temple Mount and the Ophel in Jerusalem answered a 150-year-old debate concerning the biblical city Jerusalem, the Jewish Press reported on Sunday.
After 150 years of searching, the route of Jerusalem's northern fortification was finally uncovered during recent excavations in the Givati parking lot in the City of David. The excavations were conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University, with funding from the Elad Association.
While digging, researchers found cliffs on both sides of what they believed to be a large moat, causing initial confusion among the team. As the work continued and old data was reviewed, it became clear that these cliffs marked the northern boundary of the lower city's fortifications.
“It is not known when the moat was first dug, but it is clear that it was used during the centuries when Jerusalem was the capital of the Kingdom of Judah – almost 3,000 years ago, starting from the days of King Josiah," the Jewish Press cited excavation directors Prof. Yuval Gadot of the Department of Archeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University and Dr. Yiftach Shalu from the Antiquities Authority.
"During those years, it divided between the extension of the city that spread to the south and served as the residence of the people of Jerusalem and the Acropolis (the upper city), which was where the palace and the temple were located and stood on the Temple Mount, to the north," the directors added.
Researchers suggest the moat shows the rulers' strength and skills at the time since it was a massive project designed to impress visitors to the Acropolis and alter the natural environment to the ruler's needs.
Sparking discussions revolving biblical terms
After uncovering the trench, the researchers began analyzing past excavations of the British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon, whose excavations were east of the Givati parking lot. "We deduced that Kenyon noticed that the natural rock slopes down northward, where it should have risen. She thought it was a natural valley, but now it turned out that she had uncovered the continuation of the moat, which was cut toward the west," explained Prof. Gadot.
Connecting the two sections showed a deep and wide trench approximately 70 meters long from west to east, which sparked new discussions about biblical terms related to Jerusalem's layout, such as the Ophel and the Millo. The Ophel generally refers to the area between the City of David (the original citadel he conquered from the Jebusites) in the south and Temple Mount (the mountain on which the Jewish temple was) to its north.
While current excavations show what is believed to be the extent of the moat, according to the study, both past and current researchers excavated within the western edge of the moat. However, the researchers noted much evidence of a continuation of the ditch eastward, which also correlated with Kenyon's previous findings.
The moat in Jerusalem provided a big barrier, the researchers noted in the study, stopping movement along the southeastern ridge by splitting it into two parts. This ditch was likely part of a more extensive defense system, including a five-meter-high wall on the upper western slope. While this wall might have also been used to protect the city from the West, its exact age and purpose are still unclear because only a small section of it was found.
“the date of excavation of the moat is unknown. Such significant construction and construction works in Jerusalem are usually dated to the Middle Bronze Age - about 3,800 years ago," noted Dr. Shalu. "If the moat was dug during this period," Dr. Shalu explained, "it was intended to protect the city from the north – the only weak point of the City of David extension. We confidently know it was used during the First Temple and the Kingdom of Judah (ninth century BC), creating a clear buffer between the residential city to the south and the upper city to the north."
Concerning the discovery, Israel Antiquities Authority Director Eli Escusido said in a press release on Sunday, "The excavations in the City of David never cease to amaze; once again, discoveries are being revealed that shed new and vivid light on the biblical literature. When you stand at the bottom of this giant excavation, surrounded by enormous hewn walls, it is impossible not to be filled with wonder and appreciation for those ancient people who, about 3,800 years ago, literally moved mountains and hills."
The excavation results will be presented at the City of David's "Jerusalem Studies Experience" Conference in early August.