Jerusalem Archeological Park

This post has to be my favorite so far.  My visit to the Jerusalem Archeological Park was much enjoyed.  I tried to take my time, seeing as much as I could.  I recommend the book "The Complete Guide to the Temple Mount Excavations" by Eilat Mazar for a detailed look of today's post.

Above picture shows different artifacts from the archeological dig (l to r):

1.  Ornamental fragment from the Huldah Gate (2nd Temple Period)
2.  A stone from the royal stoa built by King Harod in the Temple Mount.
3.  Byzantine capital.
4.  Capitol from the Umayyd palace.
5.  Pillar bearing an inscription, mentioning Emperor Vespesian and his son Titus.


Here is the open area just after I entered the park:

I entered the building you see on the right hand side (in the picture above) and enjoyed the exhibits that showed different coins that had been found, showing the commercial importance Jerusalem is:

After I looked through the exhibits, I exited the building to walk around the exivations.  To the left (where the 4 door ways are), there were shops in the arch structure.  Also, there were shops to the right hand side abutting the western walls.  Here is the Herodian Street that was below what is called Robinson's Arch (that led up to the Temp Mount):

Here is what is left of the impressive arch stairway that led from the Herodian Stree to the Temple Mount:

Here are the massive stones that were pushed from the Temple Mount walls onto the the Herodian Street below.  With the massive weight of the stones falling, the street below (I found out there were vaulted rooms below the Herodian Street) was severly damaged.

Here is a great shot showing the size of the archeological dig:

A little further on, I was able to take a great shot of the Robinson Arch (with a plaque showing what it origionaly looked like.)  On the right hand side of the top of the stone wall was where the Priest would blow the trumpet announcing the beginning and end of the Sabbath.

Next I walked to the Huldah Gates.  The Gates were named after the Phrophetess Huldah in II Kings 22:4,11; 25:15-20 and II Chronicles 34:22.  There are 2 sets of Huldah Gates.  The first is called the Western Huldah Gate (also called the Double Gate) was build in the Second Temple period.  They were rebuilt in the Umayyda period (7th-8th centry CE).  There is an inverted incription in Latin just above the lintel from the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian (2nd century CE).

The second set of Huldah Gates (also called The Tripple Gate) were built in the Second Temple period (1st century BCE to 1 century CE.)

The Huldah Gates, with the aid of a broad staircase, led you through tunnels to the Temple Mount.  Here is a rendering of what the Huldah Gates looked like:

Just before I left the Archeological Park, I came across the Umayyad Palace: