A monumental discovery in Jerusalem’s Har Hotzvim industrial area is capturing headlines as one of the largest quarries from the Second Temple period ever unearthed. The excavation, led by the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by Vitania real estate development company, has revealed an expansive 3,500 square meter quarry, dating back to the late Second Temple era.
Archaeologists have uncovered a trove of artifacts, including numerous massive building stones and ancient quarrying tools. The largest stones measure up to 2.5 meters in length, 1.2 meters in width, and 40 centimeters in thickness, each weighing approximately 2.5 tons. Michael Chernin and Lara Shilov, excavation directors, explained that these colossal stones were likely destined for major construction projects in Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount expansion and other royal buildings commissioned by King Herod the Great.
Historical sources suggest that these stones could have been used in significant public works, such as the city's Third Wall constructed by Herod's successor, King Agrippa I. The discovery provides valuable insights into the scale and ambition of Jerusalem’s architectural projects during the late Second Temple period, and it is possible that some stones were intended as pavement slabs for the city’s streets.
* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.