Mysterious carvings discovered on the structure’s floor. (Credit Kobi Harati City of David)
In a breathtaking discovery, a mysterious structure has emerged from the ancient depths of the City of David, unearthed by the Israel Antiquities Authority on the eastern slope of Jerusalem Walls National Park. This enigmatic site, carved into the living rock, reveals eight chambers holding relics that whisper of sacred rituals: an altar, a standing stone (masseba), an oil press, and a winepress—each imbued with the echoes of a long-lost era.
In a groundbreaking article published in ‘Atiqot, excavation director Eli Shukron unveils a tantalizing theory: this structure served as a sacred space for the people of Judah, a sanctuary where cultic and religious practices once flourished. The discovery casts a haunting light on the spiritual life of an ancient civilization, bringing the secrets of their devotion closer to our grasp.This exceptional structure, dating to the First Temple period, was revealed during excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority in the City of David.
The newly published article in ‘Atiqot proposes that the unique structure, comprising a series of eight rock-hewn rooms, was used for ritual purposes while the Temple still stood on the Temple Mount, just a few hundred meters away from the City of David. It is the only known ritual structure from this period discovered in Jerusalem and one of the very few found in the land of Israel.
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The unearthed structure spans an impressive 220 square meters, its eight rock-hewn rooms revealing a fascinating array of installations. Among these are an oil press for crafting precious oil, a winepress for producing wine, and a carved installation with a drainage channel—identified by researchers as an altar. Dominating the site is a towering standing stone (masseba), believed to be the focal point of ancient ritual activity.
A collection of artifacts uncovered in a cave adjacent to the structure: “The cave served as a repository for artifacts.” Credit: Eli Shukron.
One room’s floor bears cryptic V-shaped carving marks, their purpose shrouded in mystery. Eli Shukron, the site’s excavator, suggests these carvings might have supported a tripod—an enigmatic three-legged installation likely central to religious rituals. This extraordinary site offers a glimpse into the spiritual practices of a bygone era, each detail steeped in intrigue and wonder.
In a small City of David cave carved on the edge of the structure, a cache of objects dating to the eighth century BCE was uncovered, including cooking pots, jars bearing fragments of ancient Hebrew inscriptions, loom weights, scarabs, stamped seals with decorative motifs, and grinding stones used for crushing grains.
The authors of the article from the Center for Research on Ancient Jerusalem, led by archaeologist Eli Shukron, who directed the City of David excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, believe that the structure was in use until the 8th century BCE, the middle of the period when the Kings of Judah ruled.According to Shukron, “The structure ceased to function during the 8th century BCE, possibly as part of King Hezekiah’s religious reform. According to the Bible, Hezekiah sought to centralize worship at the Temple in Jerusalem, abolishing the ritual sites scattered across the kingdom. The Bible describes how, during the First Temple period, additional ritual sites operated outside the Temple, and two kings of Judah—Hezekiah and Josiah—implemented reforms to eliminate these sites and concentrate worship at the Temple.”
“When we began excavating the City of David in 2010, we discovered that the site had been sealed with fill from the 8th century BCE, indicating it had fallen out of use during that time,” says Shukron. “The standing stone we uncovered remained upright in its original place, and the other rooms in the structure were also well-preserved.”
Although the current City of David excavation began in 2010, the northern part of the structure was first uncovered in 1909 by Montague Parker, a British adventurer who came to Jerusalem in search of the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple treasures. Shukron’s excavation continued over several excavation seasons.
