Tag: Jerusalem

Aelia Capitolina was a Roman colony, constructed after the siege of 70 AD during the First Jewish-Roman War, when the city of Jerusalem and the Second Temple on Temple Mount was destroyed.

Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem investigated erosion in the different types of limestone in the Western Wall located at the foot of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Stones comprised of large crystals were almost unchanged in 2000 years, while limestone containing small crystals eroded much faster and in some cases had receded by tens of centimeters, potentially weakening the wall’s structure. The researchers describe an accelerated erosion process that explains why some rocks are more weathered than others, and displayed that chemo-mechanical erosion extends down to the tiny micron scale. The findings could have significant implications for regional and global carbonate weathering, and could help guide the development of effective preservation techniques that slow the rate of erosion in order to protect cultural heritage sites around the world.

Archaeological works on an ancient drainage channel by the Israel Antiques Authority have made remarkable discoveries that reveals new information about the destruction of the Second Temple.