NEW ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS ON MOUNT ZION IN JERUSALEM

Please join us as a Team Member in the excavation of one of the most exciting sites in Jerusalem today. The area chosen for archaeological study is situated close to a number of important places in the history of the city, namely the Praetorium where Jesus was tried before Pontius Pilate, and the House of Caiaphas and the other priestly families in the Upper City of Jerusalem in the first century CE. In the Byzantine period, the area was situated at the southern end of the Cardo Maximus, which was a grand columned street and in its vicinity Justinian (mid 6th century) built a very large church. The crest of Mount Zion was a focus for the building of houses in the Early Islamic Period. The Crusaders and the Ayyubids built their fortifications across the crest of the hill, and in the early 13th century, the local Sultan destroyed the gate-tower, which was located in the area of our excavation.

Come join us in unearthing the exiting and well- preserved remains at this site. Previous excavations, which were undertaken here in 1978, really just "scratched the surface". There are all sorts of things to be excavated, including houses that were destroyed in the year 70 CE by Titus and the Roman legions. Surprisingly, some of the vaulted ceilings of these houses are still intact! Further up the hill, digs revealed wall paintings with floral designs showing buildings and birds, which would not have been different from those seen at Pompeii.

Your presence on this dig is important, and your contribution would be long-lasting.

Come to the site, dig with us, find something unique, and contribute to the history of Jerusalem. As previous Team Members have stated, there is a great amount of exhilaration when one unearths an object that has not seen the light of day since it was buried thousands of years ago...