Jerusalem Elevator Project Yields Archeological Trove

A pre-elevator construction salvage extraction — performed to study artifacts and buildings before modern construction occurs — yielded a trove of ancient archeological finds at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, visited by millions of Jewish worshippers and tourists each year, The Times of Israel is among outlets to report. Hebrew University of Jerusalem archeologists unearthed an ornate first-century villa and a ritual bath known as a mikveh, as well as fragments of frescoes and elaborates mosaics. Accumulated over two millennia in layers covering a total of 30 ft., the artifacts also include Ottoman pipes for a 2,000-year-old aqueduct, early Islamic oil lamps and the remains of a Judean villa prior to the ancient Jewish Temple’s destruction in the Siege of Jerusalem. After five years, archeological excavation is winding down, but the elevator — aimed at providing accessibility for all visitors — is not expected to come online until 2025.