A 2,000-year-old road believed to have carried pilgrims from a ritual bath to the steps of the Temple in Jerusalem has been unveiled by archaeologists in the City of David, in what experts say is one of the most significant biblical excavations in modern history.
Stretching 600 metres from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount, the Pilgrimage Road was likely used by Jewish worshippers during festivals like Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. Its rediscovery beneath a burst sewage pipe led to years of excavation and legal battles over its importance, which culminated in Israel’s High Court ruling it a site of “national and international importance”.
“This is the road our ancestors – yours and mine – would have walked 2,000 years ago to go up to the Temple,” Ze’ev Orenstein, Director of International Affairs at the City of David Foundation, told The Jerusalem Post. “Conservatively speaking, the likelihood that Jesus walked on this road is 100%.”
Archaeologists say the road’s massive width – up to 30 metres in parts – and the remains of coins, weights and market stalls indicate it was also a major commercial hub. “It’s like the ancient Mahane Yehuda,” said Orenstein, referring to Jerusalem’s modern market.
Pottery, oil lamps, and bronze coins dating to the Great Revolt were discovered beneath its drainage system, evidence that Jewish rebels once hid there from Roman forces in the 1st century CE.
“The City of David predates even the Old City,” said Orenstein. He emphasised that this excavation doesn’t just confirm stories in scripture – it roots them in the very stones beneath our feet.
