Broad Wall (Jerusalem)

The Broad Wall is an ancient defensive city wall in Jerusalem dating from the reign of King Hezekiah (late eighth century BCE.)

Contents

Discovery

The wall was discovered by archaeologist Nahman Avigad in the 1970s. This is a massive defensive structure, seven meters thick. The unbroken length of wall uncovered by Avigad's dig runs 65 metres (71.1 yd) long and is preserved in places to a height of 3.3 metres (3.6 yd).[1] [2]

History

The wall and its discovery were part of a revision of the history of the city. It had long been believed that the city in this period was confined to the fortified, narrow hill running to the south of the Temple Mount known as the City of David. Avigad's dig demonstrated that by the late eighth century the city had expanded to include the hill to the west of the Temple Mount, the site of the modern "Old City" of Jerusalem inside the walls built by Suleiman the Magnificent.

The motivation for building the walls was the expected invasion of Judea by Sennacherib.

Biblical mentions

The wall is referred to in Nehemiah 3:8 and Isaiah 22:9-10.

See also

References

  1. ^ Jerusalem: an archaeological biography, Hershel Shanks,Random House, 1995, p. 80.
  2. ^ Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem: The finds from areas A, W and X-2 : final report Volume 2 of Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem: Conducted by Nahman Avigad, 1969-1982, Nahman Avigad, Hillel Geva, Israel Exploration Society, 2000.