Building Blocks of the ‘Prayer Road’ of Jesus Discovered

A massive quarry dating back to the late Second Temple period has been uncovered in Jerusalem’s Har Hotzvim Hi-Tech Park, revealing a significant glimpse into the city’s ancient past. The excavation has exposed one of the largest known quarries from this era, extending over approximately 3,500 square meters (37,674 square feet). Stone quarried here would have been used for a large number of construction projects, including paving the ‘Pilgrims Road’, where Jesus and his disciples are said to have walked.

The huge quarry at Har Hotzvim, Jerusalem. (Emil Aladjem/IAA)

Monumental Construction and Herod’s Building Projects

The Second Temple period, particularly during the reign of King Herod the Great (37-4 BC), was a time of extensive architectural development in Jerusalem. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, the newly uncovered quarry in Har Hotzvim was likely a crucial source of stone for many of these projects. Archaeologists have found tens of large building stones, as well as quarrying and cutting trenches that indicate the massive scale of the stones being extracted.

Michael Chernin and Lara Shilov, excavation directors on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority stated:

“Most of the building stones extracted from here were huge rock slabs, whose length reached ca. 2.5 meters, their width was 1.2 meters and they were 40 centimeters thick.”

The size and quality of these stones suggest that they were intended for use in some of Jerusalem’s most significant construction projects, such as the expansion of the Temple Mount and the construction of public buildings, palaces, and fortifications.

Notably, the stone slabs bear a striking resemblance to those used in the “stepped street” or “Pilgrim’s Path” in the City of David, which was paved during the late Second Temple period under the Roman Procurators. The matching geological signatures between the paving stones and those from the Har Hotzvim quarry underscore the likelihood that they originated from the same source.

Pilgrim’s Path in the City of David, Jerusalem. (IAA)

Discovery of Ritual Stone Vessels

In a surprising find within the quarry, archaeologists also uncovered a stone purification vessel, a type commonly used by the Jewish population during the Second Temple period. According to Jewish Halacha (law), stone vessels are unique in that they do not contract ritual impurity, making them particularly significant for ritual purposes. The intact vessel, which was hidden for nearly two thousand years, could have been produced at the quarry itself or brought there for use by the workers.

The discovery of this vessel provides a tangible connection to the daily lives and religious practices of Jerusalem’s Jewish community during this period. The vessel, along with other artifacts from the site, will soon be displayed to the public at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem.

Stone purification vessel found at the quarry. (Emil Aladjem/IAA)

Preserving Jerusalem’s Ancient Heritage

The IAA is working closely with the developer, Vitania, to ensure that the quarry is preserved and integrated into the new commercial complex planned for the site. Dr. Amit Re’em, the IAA’s Jerusalem District Supervisor, emphasized the importance of making this significant historical site accessible to the public, allowing visitors to experience firsthand the grandeur of the quarrying enterprise that helped build ancient Jerusalem.

Eli Escusido, the Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, highlighted the poignant timing of this discovery, which comes just before the Nine Days and the Ninth of Av—times of mourning for the destruction of Jerusalem’s First and Second Temples. He invited the public to visit the newly opened National Archaeological Campus to view the special stone vessels and other artifacts uncovered at the quarry.

Top image: The huge quarry at Har Hotzvim, Jerusalem.              Source: Emil Aladjem/IAA

By Gary Manners