Lost piece of Jesus’world emerges after 2,000 years in extraordinary discovery

Archaeologists in Israel uncovered a 2,000-year-old aqueduct near Jerusalem that once carried water to the Second Temple complex, shown above right.(Israel Antiquities Authority;Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)

The Second Temple complex was also the setting of the biblical account ofJesus cleansing the Temple, during which he overturned the tables of money changers and drove out merchants.

The Lower Aqueduct was “probably built in the time of the Hasmonean kings to supply water to Jerusalem,” according toexcavation directorsBenyamin Storchan, Gil Freid and Rotem Cohen of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

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“The aqueduct runs about 21 km [13 miles] from Solomon’s Pools, south of Bethlehem, to Jerusalem,” the directors said in a statement.

“Along most of the route, the water flowed along a very gentle gradient, dropping just one meter [3.3 feet] in elevation per kilometer [0.6 miles].”

The Israel Antiquities Authority announced the discovery of the ancient aqueduct on Oct.11 following excavations ahead of residential construction.(Israel Antiquities Authority)

The aqueduct will be preserved and incorporated into the main entrance of the planned residential development, allowing visitors to see the ancient engineering firsthand.

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“The engineering that was required to make this work is really amazing,” Douglas Estes, anEstes said the aqueduct’s construction reflected Jerusalem’s prominence in theancient world, comparing the significance of such infrastructure to the construction of modern skyscrapers.

“It brought living water from Bethlehem to the Temple Mount, so that sanctification could take place after sacrifice.”

“The Hasmoneans, Jewish rulers, were building this aqueduct at the same time that the Romans were building their aqueduct that carried water to the Temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill,” Estes said.

“We think of Rome as being the power in the Mediterranean at the time, and we think of Jerusalem as being a small capital of the city-state, but they were actuallyadvancing in technologyat the same time and building their aqueducts together.”

The aqueduct was originally constructed during the Hasmonean period and remained in intermittent use until about a century ago.(Israel Antiquities Authority)

Beyond its impressive engineering, Estes said the discovery also sheds light on religious practices in ancient Jerusalem and their connections to early Christianity.

Estes said the aqueduct’s water was used for both practical and religious purposes, including cleaning up after sacrifices and performingpurification ritualsat the Temple Mount.

The system, which relied on fresh, or “living” water, also carries symbolic significance for Christians.

Estes said he was “confident” that Jesus, his disciples and otherearly Christianswould have used water supplied by the aqueduct, although direct archaeological evidence of their individual use has not been established.

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The system, which relied on fresh, or “living” water, also carriessymbolic significance for Christians, Estes said.

“It brought living water from Bethlehem to the Temple Mount, so that sanctification could take place after sacrifice,” Estes said.

A biblical scholar said he believes Jesus and his disciples would have used water supplied by the ancient aqueduct.(Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images;Israel Antiquities Authority)

“For Christians, Jesus is the living water, and therefore … he came from Bethlehem as the living [water] to become the temple, tomake the sacrificeof himself for all people.”

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Estes added, “There is a rich symbolism that we see here in this aqueduct.”