Eturbo News: Past civilizations spanning more than two millennia lie beneath its streets. So, it comes as no surprise that archaeological excavations are to Jerusalem as public parks are to other cities. The latest such find is located a mere 200 yards from the most famous site of all: the Temple Mound – where the Dome of the Rock sits above and the Western Wall stands below.
A sense of history greets one entering the newest excavation site in the form of a medieval arch rising above what used to be a second or third century Roman road. With a little bit of imagination, one can see the colonnaded Roman street – the secondary or eastern Cardo – come to life.
The main Jerusalem street dating from the Roman period – the Cardo Maximus - was uncovered in 1967.. If your imagination is hard-pressed to picture the Cardo in ancient times; what might ancient Jerusalemites say if they saw its present-day shops, maintaining the atmosphere of old as a busy commercial street of today.
Back at the eastern Cardo excavation, a mixture of historical periods has been uncovered. The remains of a row of shops from the medieval era are being unearthed.
The entire area around the Temple Mound is awash with such finds. While some have been freshly unearthed, others have been lovingly restored, with the option of several museums thrown in for those who prefer a more orderly approach to understanding the area’s sometimes complex, but nonetheless fascinating history. |
