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FEBRUARY 3, 2022 | The Jewish Home
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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Middle East Musings
What Lies Beneath By David Billet
The Stepped Stone Structure
S
ometimes the dirt that lies beneath our feet can contain the answers to the questions that we have always been seeking. Since the early 19th century, archeologists have been drawn to Jerusalem to determine the validity of the Bible and the historical connection of the Jewish People to this disputed land. While once seemingly impossible, ancient artifacts have been uncovered that definitively prove the Jewish connection to the land of Israel and enables us to witness the Biblical stories from the past before our eyes today. As early as the 19th century, a leading British archeologist, Charles Warren, uncovered a previously unknown part of the City of David. Warren was trained as an engineer and was also a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers Corps. He began by excavating the area that was south of the Temple Mount, which led him to discovering a massive fortification. Warren then excavated at the foot of the Temple Mount – which would be nearly impossible to conduct today due to legal obstacles – and uncovered a tunnel that connected to a spring of water. This tunnel connected the City of David to a vital water source and has been named “Warren’s Shaft.” While many attack the strength
of the Bible and the legitimacy of the Jewish claim to the land of Israel, they need to look no further than Warren’s Shaft to witness ancient Biblical stories coming to life today. Eilat Mazar, the granddaughter of a leading Israeli archeologist, Benjamin Mazar, uncovered a wall that connected to King David’s Palace. Mazar was raised on the belief that the Bible can provide a roadmap to
Structure,” which Mazar believed to be an ancient royal palace that was used by the Israelites. Like her grandfather, Mazar became a leading Israeli archeologist and has proven that the Jewish presence in Jerusalem today is as alive as it was almost three thousand years ago. Countless other Jewish artifacts have been uncovered dating to both the First and Second Temple, and to
They need to look no further than Warren’s Shaft to witness ancient Biblical stories coming to life today.
understanding the land of Israel. Following her family tradition, and after studying the Book of Shmuel, Mazar believed that she knew the location of King David’s palace. After raising the necessary funds to conduct such an excavation, Mazar uncovered a massive wall structure that was dated to the same time-period as King David and was in the exact location as described by the Book of Shmuel. This wall is also connected to what is known as the “Stepped Stone
the centuries that followed. In 2016, the New York Times reported that the Israel Antiquities Authority uncovered a rare piece of papyrus that dated to 2,700 years ago, which stated the Hebrew word for “Jerusalem.” Theo Siebenberg began excavating underneath his home in the Old City of Jerusalem in the 1970s and uncovered a mikveh, an ancient aqueduct, pottery, ancient coins, and a burial vault. The Siebenberg House is now a world-renowned museum that can
be seen by the public and highlights the ancient connection of the Jewish People to the land of Israel. The historical connection of the Jewish people to the land of Israel is undeniable, as seen from the countless artifacts which have recently been discovered. From Charles Warren in the 19th century, to Eilat Mazar and the Siebenberg House today, the more one searches for the truth underground, the more one will discover that the Jews have been rooted in the land for almost three thousand years. Whenever the Jewish connection to the State of Israel is questioned, we must never forget that simply looking down at our feet, and wondering what lies beneath, may contain the answers that we have searched for all along.
David Billet is a student at Fordham Law School, where he is an Associate Editor of the International Law Journal. In May of 2018, David graduated from Queens College, CUNY, with a B.A. in Accounting and a minor in Economics. David additionally writes articles that focus on foreign affairs, domestic policy, and global anti-Semitism. To date, his work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Israel Hayom, and almost twenty other media publications.
