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The Broad Wall from the First Temple Period
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In the heart of the Jewish Quarter, at a location least expected
by the present day visitor, lies an exposed section of the remnants of a long, broad
wall. Why is such a massive wall here, who built it, and why is it so wide? These
are only a few of the questions that immediately arise. As a matter of fact, it
even took the archeologists who discovered it by surprise, and it was not easy for
them to find the answers. Due to its width, it was originally surmised to be the
broad wall described in the book of Nehemiah. Later, after analysis of pottery fragments
and other finds, it was deduced that the wall was a remnant of the First Temple
period: The ramparts of Israelite Jerusalem of the First Temple period.
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This deduction ended an age old dispute regarding the size of the
area of Jerusalem during the First Temple period. Until then, it was assumed that
the capital of the Kings of Judah prior to the destruction of the First Temple stretched
south from the Temple Mount, in the limited area of the City of David. Most archeologists
accede that the wall is of the First Temple period, but the question of who built
it remains unanswered. The accepted answer is based on several hypotheses: Some
researchers base their deductions on the prophecies of Jeremiah, claiming that that
the wall was built by King Jehoiakim, others surmise that it was built by Hezekiah,
King of Judah who reigned at the end of the eighth century BCE. Both assumptions
rely on the Bible for their accuracy.
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The western section of the wall passes through the remnants of a
house that was probably part of a neighborhood previously built outside the walls.
Apparently evacuated by royal decree, the king’s engineers used some of the stones
to fortify the wall. This illustrates the writings of Isaiah (22:9-11): “And ye
have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify
the wall”. Isaiah is relating to the fortifications of Hezekiah, that may have encompassed
the neighborhoods scattered on the western hill as a blockade against the advancing
Assyrians. On the other hand, the house used as part of the fortifications may relate
to the prophecy of Jeremiah (22:13): “Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness,
and his chambers by wrong”, which relates perhaps to Jehoiakim who built his palace
in the upper city, replacing houses that were there previously.
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The 7-meter wide wall was exposed for a length of 65 meters, of which 45 meters
are currently exposed. From this point, it extends westwards, beneath the new houses
of the Jewish Quarter until it reaches the current Ha-Yehudim Street. It is possible
that there was a gate in this section of the wall.
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The Site List
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