"A Jordanian ammunition "slick" was uncovered today (Wednesday) in excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority under the lobby of the Western Wall tunnel site.
The ammunition was hidden at the bottom of a cistern from the British Mandate era.
The excavations are taking place in collaboration with the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, in preparation for the entry of visitors for a new and fascinating tour in addition to the classic tour of the Western Wall tunnels. Israel Police sappers arrived at the site and examined the items.
Dr. Barak Monikandam-Givon and Tehila Shadial, directors of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority: "During the excavation of the water cistern, a surprise awaited us: about ten full magazines of Bern machine guns and parts of a British Lee Enfield rifle. Usually, we find ancient finds from a thousand or two thousand years ago in excavations, but this time, we were blessed with a peace demand frozen in time, 53 years old.
""Apparently, this is a weapons cache that was deliberately buried by Jordanian Legion soldiers during the Six-Day War, perhaps at the time the IDF liberated the Old City. The cistern we dug was used by the residential buildings of the Mughrabi neighborhood that was built in the area of today's Western Wall Plaza.".
Assaf Peretz of the Israel Antiquities Authority, who identified the ammunition, said: "This is ammunition that was manufactured in Britain in factories." Greenwood and Batley LTD, found in Leeds, Yorkshire. According to the markings on the cornice (back) of the bullets, the ammunition was manufactured in 1956 and came into the possession of the Jordanian Legion." "The discovery of the ammunition slip for the Bern machine guns matches two other machine guns found about ten years ago in another cistern in the Western Wall plaza, during the excavation of Dr. Shlomit Wexler-Bedolah of the Israel Antiquities Authority.".
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation stated: "We were pleased to discover at the Western Wall also contemporary archaeology that teaches us about what took place here during the Six-Day War. This discovery strengthens the legacy and importance of the liberation of the Western Wall for the entire Jewish people.""
About a month ago, the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation announced that the archaeological excavation uncovered an intriguing underground system carved into the rock from the Second Temple period, at the foot of an impressive 1,400-year-old public building.
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