The site, near the Temple Mount, is the only known ritual structure from the period found in Jerusalem.
(Jan. 14, 2025 / JNS) A unique structure unearthed in Jerusalem’s ancient City of David was used for ritual practices during the time of the First Temple, according to a report published Tuesday.
The site was uncovered 15 years ago on the eastern slopes of the City of David compound, just outside the walled Old City of Jerusalem. It includes eight rock-hewn rooms containing an altar, a standing stone, an oil press and a winepress, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Excavation director Eli Shukron wrote in an article published in the scientific journal ‘Atiqot that his team had recently determined that the structure was used for ritual purposes while the Temple stood just a few hundred meters away.