2,000-Year-Old Hasmonean Aqueduct Section Uncovered Near Jerusalem

Believed to have been constructed during the Hasmonean dynasty, the Lower Aqueduct was part of an ancient engineering system that transported water from Solomon's Pools south of Bethlehem to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. The original 21-kilometer system relied entirely on gravity, utilizing a gentle gradient of about one meter per kilometer to move water without pumps.

The excavation revealed multiple repair and reconstruction phases, showing that the aqueduct was used intermittently for centuries until about 100 years ago. Initially, water flowed through a plastered stone channel, but during the Ottoman period about 500 years ago, a ceramic pipe was laid within the ancient channel and the exterior wall was covered with a rough plaster.

The Israel Antiquities Authority plans to preserve the unearthed segment and integrate it into the entrance of the new neighborhood. Future plans include creating an archaeological park that will allow the public to walk along the ancient water system from southern Jerusalem to the Old City. The findings will be presented at the 19th Conference on Innovations in Jerusalem Archaeology.