An ancient and impressive tunnel, carved into the rock and approximately 50 meters long, was unexpectedly discovered near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel in Jerusalem.
The extraordinary discovery was uncovered during archaeological excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority prior to the construction of a new neighborhood, funded and initiated by the Israel Lands Authority.
""We were digging in relatively hard and exposed terrain, when we suddenly discovered a natural karst cavity," say Dr. Sivan Mizrahi and Zinovi Matskevich, the excavation directors on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. "To our amazement, this cavity developed, during excavation, into a long tunnel. Parts of it are still collapsing, so the tunnel has not said its last word.".
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The entrance to the ancient complex from the surface was via a staircase that descended to a hewn opening and led into the tunnel. This was discovered filled with alluvial soil that had apparently been deposited over hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years.
Excavation at several locations inside the tunnel showed that the tunnel is up to 5 meters high and about 3 meters wide. "The quarrying was done neatly, and it is clear that whoever carved the tunnel invested a lot, planned, and had the ability and resources necessary to achieve the goal.".
The purpose of the tunnel is unclear.
Initially, it was suggested that this was an ancient waterworks, and that the purpose of the tunnel was to reach a spring point.
This assumption was rejected, among other things, because the tunnel walls are not plastered - a common feature of ancient water facilities. In addition, after consulting with a geologist, it became clear that there are no known underground water horizons in this area, and no signs of water bodies were found in the tunnel itself.
Afterwards, the possibility that this was some kind of underground agricultural or industrial facility was examined, but the intensity of the work and the lack of identical sites in the area ruled out the possibility.
The researchers' current assessment, therefore, is that this was a tunnel whose purpose was to reach a layer of chalk rock suitable for quarrying building stones or for producing lime. Evidence of this may be in the form of a shaft carved into the ceiling of the tunnel, which may have been used for ventilation, as well as quarry gravel discovered at the bottom of the tunnel - but this assessment is also accompanied by question marks.
Alternatively, the findings may indicate that the quarrying and installation of the tunnel were not completed, and therefore its purpose and nature are unknown.
Dr. Mizrahi and Metzkevich: "The age of the tunnel is also a mystery to us, as no find, not even the smallest, has been found that would suggest the age of the tunnel. At the same time, the tunnel is located, as the crow flies, a few hundred meters from two significant ancient sites - a public building from the Iron Age - the days of the First Temple in the Arnona neighborhood, and Tel Ramat Rachel, where the remains of a settlement from the Iron Age to the Islamic period have been documented.".
Dr. Amit Ram, Jerusalem Region Archaeologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority: "We are celebrating Jerusalem Day this week. This discovery joins many other discoveries that are being uncovered every day, hour by hour, in the city. The hands of the archaeologists and researchers at the Israel Antiquities Authority are full of activity, because this city never ceases to surprise. We usually have explanations for the discoveries we uncover, but sometimes, as in this case, we stand amazed and speechless.".
The impressive discovery is expected to be incorporated into an archaeological park for the benefit of the public and residents of the neighborhood that the Israel Lands Authority is planning on the site.
