Israeli archaeologists have unearthed a monumental defensive system in Jerusalem's City of David, resolving a 150-year-old enigma surrounding the ancient city's northern fortifications. The impressive structure, featuring a deep, wide trench carved into bedrock, effectively split Jerusalem into two distinct zones and safeguarded its rulers for centuries.
The colossal fortification, unearthed during excavations at the Givati Parking Lot dig in the City of David, part of the Jerusalem Walls National Park, was created by extensive rock-cutting that formed a massive trench – an enormous channel separating the City of David ridge from the Temple Mount and the so-called Ophel areas. Flanking the trench were sheer cliffs, impossible to scale. Initially, archaeologists were perplexed by the peculiar rock-cutting, but as the excavation progressed and connections were made to previous digs, it became evident that this was the northern defense line of the lower city.
Professor Yuval Gadot from Tel Aviv University's Department of Archaeology and Yiftah Shalev from the Israel Antiquities Authority, who led the excavation, explained, "It is not known when the moat was originally cut, but evidence suggests it was used during the centuries when Jerusalem was the capital of the Kingdom of Judah, almost 3,000 years ago, beginning with King Josiah. During those years, the moat separated the southern residential part of the city from the ruling Acropolis in the north; the upper city where the palace and the temple were located."
The creation of this trench was a monumental undertaking, designed to reshape the natural landscape and project power to those approaching the acropolis. The researchers noted that such an ambitious project, requiring significant resources and expertise, speaks volumes about the authority wielded by Jerusalem's rulers at the time.
For the past century and a half, scholars and archaeologists have attempted to trace Jerusalem's northern fortification line. It's only now, through the Givati Parking Lot excavations – conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University, with funding from the Elad Foundation – that this defensive system has been clearly exposed.
Gadot shared an intriguing connection to past research, "Following the dramatic discovery, we reexamined the past excavations reports wrriten by the British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon, who excavated in the City of David in the 1960s, in an area located slightly east of today's Givati Parking Lot. It became clear to us that Kenyon noticed that the natural rock slopes towards the north, in a place where it should naturally have risen. She thought it was a natural valley, but now it turns out that she had uncovered the continuation of the moat, carved to the west. The connection of the two uncovered sections creates a deep and wide moat that extends across at least 70 meters, from west to east.
"This is a dramatic discovery that opens up a renewed discussion about the terms from the biblical literature that refer to the topography of Jerusalem, such as the Ophel and the Millo," he added.
Shalev noted the uncertainty surrounding the trench's origins, "The date the moat was cut is unknown. Such significant construction plans and quarrying in Jerusalem are usually dated to the Middle Bronze Age - about 3,800 years ago (the beginning of the 2nd millennium BCE). If the moat was cut during this period, then it was intended to protect the city from the north - the only weak point of the City of David slope. Either way, we are confident that it was used at the time of the First Temple and the Kingdom of Judah (ninth century BCE), so it created a clear buffer between the residential city in the south, and the upper city in the north."
Ancient Jerusalem's unique topography – built on a narrow, steep ridge and expanding across hills and valleys – posed significant challenges for urban development and movement. It's therefore unsurprising that many royal building projects in Jerusalem focused on reshaping the landscape. The Bible itself alludes to such efforts, as in 1 Kings 11:27, which mentions King Solomon's work: "Solomon built up the 'Millo' and closed up the breach of the City of David, his father."
This discovery reveals that throughout the Iron Age (First Temple period) – the period in which the biblical books were set – the city was divided into at least two distinct parts. This was also the case during the Persian and Hellenistic periods.
The findings have been published in the journal TEL AVIV – a peer-reviewed international journal that publishes articles on current archaeological investigations in the Levant and critical studies related to the history and culture of Near Eastern civilizations – and will be presented to the public at the upcoming Jerusalem Learning Experience Conference, hosted by the City of David in early August.
