Arutz Sheva

An inscription from the Second Temple period was discovered near Jerusalem' s Zion Gate on Wednesday, the eve of Tisha B' Av.

An earthenware vessel, assumed to be a measuring cup, is inscribed with ten lines in the Aramaic language. Although the letters are clearly visible, due to the style of writing, it will take a while before the meaning of the writing will be understood. University of North Carolina' s Prof. Shimon Gibson confirmed that the relic was from 2,000 years ago. However, he estimates that it will take up to half a year to understand the inscription.

An additional series of structures from the First and Second Temple Period were discovered, including a mikveh (ritual bath) left almost completely intact, and structures from the Byzantine and early Islamic period. The excavations took place for several months by researchers from the University of North Carolina, with the cooperation of the Jerusalem branch of the Nature and Parks Authority. The researchers concluded that in the area of Mount Zion lived one-tenth of the population of the capital city during the Second Temple Period, including many Kohanim.

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