Ancient lamps that may have been used by Jewish rebels unearthed in Jerusalem

Grape pips, a glass vial, ceramic lamps, and eggshells dating back two thousand years were uncovered in a drainage channel under a Jerusalem main street of the Second Temple period, the Israel Antiquities Authority said on Wednesday.

Researchers unearthed pottery lamps within the soil, which can be dated to the end of the Second Temple era. Soot residue indicates the fire that burned in them.

The researchers are currently analyzing the hypotheses that these lamps served the rebels who hid within the channel during the rebellion against the Romans at the time. In fact, near the area where the lamps were found, an entire Roman sword in its leather case was unearthed a few years ago.

'Small findings tell of a big story'

“Into the channel’s mouth were swept the detritus of the life above Jerusalem’s main street; where they remained preserved between the walls just as they were at the moment of the city’s destruction,” said excavation director for the Israel Antiquities Authority, Dr. Ayala Zilberstein.

“Small finds tell us a big story, from Jerusalem’s heyday of prosperity and splendor when its streets bustled with life, until the city’s ebbing moments during the rebellion against the Romans, and its total abandonment following the Temple and city’s destruction,” she added.

Zilberstein further stated, “Since most of these municipal channels were maintained and cleaned regularly, to find layers of silt in the main drainage channel filling it to almost half its height indicates a gradual neglect of city maintenance. And indeed, this very neglect and abandonment that we are now witness to here corresponds to the story of the process of Jerusalem’s destruction.”

The excavation, led by Nissim Mizrahi, unearthed additional vessels, such as ceramic oil and perfume vials and a preserved glass vial.

“Through this large variety of pots and dishes that accumulated in the drainage channel, we encounter nearly the complete tableware set of Jerusalem’s residents,” Zilberstein said, regarding the various vessels that were found. “In contrast to the limited set of vessels generally found when excavating a single household kitchen, the channel assemblage is drawn from many houses and different streets in town, thus presenting us with examples of almost all wares the city’s merchants had to offer.”

“In these days, when the word ‘destruction’ takes on more relevance than usual, there is great value, and it is important to look back into our past, to remember where we came from and what we went through, to connect with our history, and thus gain a broader view of our life here in Israel,” Director of the Antiquities Authority Eli Escusido said of the find. “As part of the new excavation now taking place near the Western Wall and the City of David, a great wealth of finds reveals to us a magnificent city full of life, which by its nature emphasizes the magnitude of the destruction and engenders our understanding of what was lost.”