A 2,000-year-old road in Jerusalem, leading from the southern part of the ancient city to the base of the Temple Mount, has been reopened to pedestrians after a 20-year excavation process.
The so-called “Pilgrim’s Path” is believed to have been constructed in the first year of the Common Era, during the Second Temple Period, linking the Western Wall with the area that is now the City of David archaeological park.
Built on the orders of either King Herod or Roman Governor Pontius Pilate, it gained its name as the main route by which pilgrims would travel to the temple from the surrounding area.
Amit Re’em, chief archaeologist for the Jerusalem District at the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA), told the Times of Israel: “This is one of the most magnificent archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem in the last decades.
"For the first time, you can see this direct link between the Siloam Pool and the Temple Mount, and the street was sealed under the modern city for thousands of years.”
The road was buried in around 70 CE during the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans, which tour guide Ariana Ohayon suggested may be the reason it was found in such good shape.
"It is possible that the reason why they are so well preserved is that actually the road was not in use for such a long time,” she added.
However, the excavation has been a source of controversy, given the route’s location in East Jerusalem.
While the city is recognised as Israel’s capital by key international partners like the US, the eastern part of the city is generally considered to be part of the West Bank and, therefore, the Palestinian Territories.
The excavation project was opposed by segments of the local community, including those who owned homes near the dig site. Archaeologists have since installed a concrete and steel tunnel around the dig shaft to support the ground above.
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