First Temple Period finds confirm famine during Roman siege of Jerusalem
Published on: 28.6.2013Well preserved Roman road uncovered
There was exciting news this week, as Eli Shukron of the Israel Antiquities Authority, exposed a small cistern containing three intact cooking pots and a small ceramic oil lamp that date to the first century at a dig near the Western Wall in the Jerusalem Archaeological Park. According to Shukron, “This is the first time we are able to connect archaeological finds with the famine that occurred during the siege of Jerusalem at the time of the Great Revolt. The complete cooking pots and ceramic oil lamp indicate that the people went down into the cistern where they secretly ate the food that was contained in the pots, without anyone seeing them, and this is consistent with the account provided by Josephus.”
The artifacts were discovered inside the drainage channel that runs beneath the first century street from the Shiloah Pool in the City of David to the southwest corner of the Temple Mount retaining wall.
Meanwhile, north of Jerusalem, excavation director on behalf of the IAA David Yeger has exposed a portion of an ancient road that dates to the second-fourth centuries. It is believed to be part of the Roman imperial network of roads that connected Jerusalem to the coastal plain via the Bet Horon route. The 8-meter wide road, lined by curbstones on both sides, was built of large flat stones to create a comfortable surface for walking.