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View of the interior of the large drain that flows from north of the Temple Mount down the line of the Central Valley all the way past the area of the Pool of Siloam. A number of drains feed into this mainline.
The drain is about 10 ft. (3 m. high) and 3 ft. (1 m. wide). It has been excavated all the way up to the Western Wall. The drain seems to follow the contour of the Tyropoean Valley. Note the well-carved "ashlar" stones of the wall and the ceiling!
According to the Jewish historian Josephus, during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 Jews tried to escape the city and to hide in drains such as this. Among the finds were thousands of bronze and silver coins, a golden bell similar to the ones that adorned the high priest's robes, and a clay seal marked with the Aramaic words "Pure for God" that was used by the Temple official to approve produce and goods for the holy services.
It is possible to walk through the Valley Street and this Drain all the way up to "Robinson's Arch" up to southwestern part of the Herodian Temple Mount Platform.
