Picture: Emil Aladjem, IAA

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A 300-meter (985-foot) section of an ancient aqueduct believed to date back to the Hasmonean period, more than 2,000 years ago, has been uncovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) south of Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, near Jerusalem.

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The discovery was made during an archaeological excavation at a site where the Israel Land Authority is developing a new residential neighborhood. The aqueduct formed part of an advanced ancient water system that transported spring water from the Gush Etzion area and Solomon’s Pools to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Dr. Benyamin Storchan and Gil Fried, the IAA archaeologists directing the excavation, said the discovery sheds new light on the engineering achievements that enabled ancient Jerusalem to develop and support its growing population.

“Jerusalem’s Lower Aqueduct was an impressive engineering project, apparently built during the reign of the Hasmonean kings to supply water to Jerusalem,” the archaeologists said. “It was so well designed that it continued to be used intermittently throughout different periods, until as recently as about 100 years ago.”

The Lower Aqueduct extended approximately 21 kilometers (13 miles), running from Solomon’s Pools, south of Bethlehem, to Jerusalem.

“Along most of its route, the water flowed along a very gentle gradient, descending about one meter for every kilometer,” Storchan and Fried explained.

The system relied entirely on gravity, allowing water to flow without pumps or other mechanical devices. Its construction required precise planning to maintain a gradual descent across the hilly terrain while adapting the route to the natural slopes and rocky landscape. Inspection points were built into the system to allow workers to access the channel, remove blockages and carry out maintenance.

The newly uncovered section reveals several stages in the aqueduct’s long history. Originally, water flowed through a channel lined with plaster. Approximately 500 years ago, during the Ottoman period, a ceramic pipe was installed inside the original watercourse. The exterior of the aqueduct’s walls was also coated with plaster, into which stones were embedded individually while the plaster was still wet. This technique created a distinctive, rough surface along the structure.

The successive modifications demonstrate the importance of the aqueduct to Jerusalem’s water supply and the efforts made by different generations to preserve and maintain it.

Dr. Amit Reem, director of the IAA’s Jerusalem District, described the aqueduct as an extraordinary engineering achievement. “The aqueduct is an engineering marvel. Even today, with all our modern technology, building such a system would require extensive planning and effort,” Reem said. “It is remarkable to think that people were able to bring water to Jerusalem in this way some 2,000 years ago, and we want the public to be able to appreciate this achievement up close.”

Reem also outlined an ambitious vision for making the ancient water system more accessible to the public. “The Israel Antiquities Authority’s dream and vision is to create a continuous park that would allow visitors to walk along the aqueduct from southern Jerusalem to the Old City,” he said. “We are advancing this initiative together with the Jerusalem Municipality and other partners.”

The IAA said it is working with the Israel Land Authority to preserve the newly discovered remains and incorporate them into the developing urban landscape.

Under the current plan, the uncovered section will become part of the main entrance to the new residential neighborhood. It will be presented in a way that allows visitors to view the archaeological remains from all sides.

Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu said the discovery highlights the importance of Jerusalem’s ancient infrastructure and the vision of its early rulers. “The aqueduct, whose construction is attributed to the Hasmonean kings, tells the story of leaders who knew how to plan for the future, expanding Jerusalem’s capacity to accommodate residents, pilgrims and public life centered around the Temple,” Eliyahu said.

“Incorporating the aqueduct into the new neighborhood continues that story. The city is growing, and we are pleased that its integration into the neighborhood will allow future generations to experience this heritage firsthand.”

Yehuda Eliyahu, acting director of the Israel Land Authority, also welcomed the discovery. “The magnificent discovery of the ancient aqueduct in the heart of the area planned for Jerusalem’s new neighborhood reminds us that we are continuing a proud legacy of construction and development spanning generations,” he said.

The IAA said the discovery would be presented to the public for the first time at the 19th annual New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and Its Region conference, held in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

The conference is organized jointly by the Israel Antiquities Authority, Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tagliot – the Israeli Institute of Archaeology.