Rock Fall in Drain

This picture inside of the Drainage Channel is located just west of the southwest corner of the Temple Mount.  The large hewn stone has evidently fallen from the Temple Mount area and has penetrated the stone barrel vault covering of the channel.

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 barrel vaulted 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 this Drainage Channel all the way up to "Robinson's Arch" up to southwestern part of the Herodian Temple Mount Platform.