Excavations reveal King Herod didn’t complete construction of Jerusalem’s Western Wall

Published November 23, 2011 |

The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the Temple Mount. The construction of the Western Wall began with King Herod and was believed to be completed in his lifetime, but new archeological evidence suggests that it was in fact not completed until the reign of Herod’s great-grandson Agrippa II. Haaretz Daily Newspaper reports on the findings that lead to these conclusions.

Recent archeological excavations in Jerusalem show that, contrary to popular understanding, King Herod was not solely responsible for constructing the Western Wall.

Israel’s Antiques Authority announced Wednesday that the discovery of a mikveh (ritual bath) alongside Jerusalem’s ancient drainage channel challenges the conventional archaeological perception that Herod built the wall in its entirety, saying it is now evident that construction was completed at least 20 years after Herod’s death (believed to be in 4 BCE).

Read the rest of the article at Excavations reveal King Herod didn’t complete construction of Jerusalem’s Western Wall – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News.

Chris Rivait

Chris loves history and hopes that Yesteeyear becomes a place where everyone can share their history knowledge. Chris owns an Internet Marketing company, Arrivait Marketing. He has a wonderful wife and four great children.