Rubble on the street from the New Testament Era

View looking north. The ancient street runs (bottom of photo up past the center) from south (bottom) to north.  On the left (west) side of the image, in the shade, are the doorways that led to shops along this street.  One of the piers of Robinson's Arch rested on top of them.

The heap of fallen stones at the far (north) end of the street are part of the rubble from the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70 by the Romans – a mute testimony to the horrors of that event. On the right (east) of the street is part of the western wall of the Herodian Temple platform near the southwestern corner of the Temple Mount.

This street continues north to the area of the Rabbinic Tunnels excavations north of the Western Wall.

The street, and the sewer systems below it (not visible), were built during the days of Herod the Great (37-4 B.C.), but the visible pavement is apparently a repaving of the street during the rule of Herod Agrippa I (A.D. 40-44). It is very probable that members of the early Christian community in Jerusalem walked upon this very street.

For an overview of the street area click here.

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To view additional images of the Western Wall Excavations Click Here.

Image from the Zondervan Atlas of the Bible, p. 216. To view/use additional images from the Atlas Click Here.