Eg har tidlegare nemnt at ein 2000 år gamal hovudveg som gjekk frå Siloadammen opp til hovudinngangen til tempelplassen i Jerusalem, er i ferd med å bli gravd ut. Nyleg er ein mindre del av vegen opna for publikum. Då eg var ved Siloadammen i forrige veke, var eg innom på staden.
Det var flott å få sjå vegen (trappa) som eg hadde lese om, med eigne auge. Det at denne vegen hovudsakleg er ei trapp, heng saman med at det er relativt stor høgdeforskjell mellom Siloadammen, som ligg på det lågaste punktet i det gamle Jerusalem, og tempelplassen.
Israel Antiquities Authority researchers have re-exposed a stretch of road in Jerusalem dating to the Second Temple period that is believed to have been used by pilgrims on their ascent to the Temple. Existence of the 40-meter segment of road, cleared over the past few months to open it to visitors, has been known of for more than a century.
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“There is practically no doubt that this was the focus of pilgrim traffic. We know this both from Jewish and Christian sources. The Pool of Siloam provided water for hundreds of people simultaneously and could be used for purification before ascending to the Temple Mount.
From the Pool of Siloam, the road continued for 600 meters to the Temple Mount. Although only two meters of the street’s width have so far been excavated, it is believed to have stretched eight meters across.
(Les meir)
