Posted on 12/26/2018 7:02:57 AM PST by Red Badger
Unearthed in excavation of the monumental Pilgrims Path, the Second Temple-era adornment likely fell after use of a ritual bath, say archaeologists
A 2,000-year-old bronze ring with a solitaire gem stone was uncovered in archaeological excavations in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem. (City of David)
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Some 2,000 years ago, a Jewish penitent misplaced a bronze ring during his climb of a 600-meter-long (about 2,000 feet) pilgrims thoroughfare leading to the Temple Mount. While the recently recovered ring is today heavily corroded, its central blue semi-precious stone still sparkles.
The ring was recently discovered at the City of Davids Sifting Project in Emek HaTsurim, in a bucket of dirt excavated from a structure on the side of the broad 7.5-meter (24-feet) -wide road that is thought to have housed a ritual bath, or mikveh. According to City of David archaeologists, the worshiper likely lost the ring when fresh from ritual purification prior to his ascent to the Temple Mount.
For the past seven years at the City of David National Park in Jerusalem, archaeologists have been excavating a now-subterranean stairway that once served as a main artery to the Temple Mount, beginning at the intersection of the Kidron and Ben Hinnom Valleys.
Every step on this street brought the pilgrims closer to the Temple, said City of David archaeologist Nahshon Szanton, in a recent video tour of the site. Imagine to yourselves the joy, the songs, the prayers, the spiritual journey that these people experience when they know they are just meters away from reaching the gates of the Temple, he added, while climbing the monumental staircase.
The pilgrims road, which ascends from the Pool of Siloam to the Jewish Temple, dates to no earlier than 30-31 CE, during the time of the notorious Roman governor Pontius Pilate. In the short video, Szanton emphasized that this was the period when Jesus was sentenced to death.
According to the City of David, the Herodian road was lined with shops and businesses to serve the thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem on the major holidays.
The broad road is a monumental achievement: Szanton estimates that some 10,000 tons of quarried rock was used in its construction. The road was built above a complex drainage system, which rebels hid in 40 years after the Pilgrims Paths construction as the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.
The drainage channel was essentially a manmade tunnel, according to the City of David, and was built underneath the Herodian Road. Its ceiling is made of the rectangular paving stones of the pilgrims road above.
The ring is perhaps a testament to a final period of peace, in which pilgrims could still safely climb the path to the Temple Mount and freely worship.
In a statement released by the City of David, archaeologists Szanton, Moran Hajbi, Ari Levy, and Dr. Joe Uziel said, Just like today, it would appear that in the past, rings and jewelry were removed before bathing, and sometimes forgotten. This phenomenon, perhaps, is behind the discovery of the ring in what appears to be a ritual bath.
The ring is a very human reminder of the people who ascended the path prior to the temples destruction, said the archaeologists.
This ring allows us to personally connect with an individuals personal story from 2,000 years ago. The ring, along with other finds, can shed light and expose the lives of people during the Second Temple period, they said.
RinGGG PinGGG!..................
So that’s where I lost it ...
She sold her soul to buy that ring.......
That is great stuff! We use it at work for cleaning silver plated connectors and contacts............stinks, though............
It works quick but to be fair, it removes oxides, not restores them. You’ll lose a little silver over time with frequent use.
ughhh . . . those arrogant eyes, needed a warning before seeing that image so early in the day,
what a wicked old vile reprobate full of her own self importance,
whatever dark pall lays over our nation, it will become a little less so when this evil creature passes,
anyway, back to the subject of this post, cool find,
Like the old Country and Western song used to say...
“He’s been leaning you on,
Honey he’ll be gone,
Before the ring on your finger,
Turns green.”
ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL
Mood ring.
Site of an ancient pawn shop?
Her eyes are open. Must be photoshopped.
The guy’s holding it with his bare hands? Has he never watched Antiques Roadshow?
IT ADDS TO THE VALUE!..................
Thanks Red Badger for posting this one. During my late night posting frenzy, i was reading this one, then got distracted by, well, I was at work. :^) No one around. The ring is lovely in the photos.
It’ll buff right out!..............
I love reading stories like this...
...if there’s a holy land archaeology ping list I would like to be one it, thanks
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