For thousands of years the Temple Mount has been a sacred site for three of the world’s monotheistic faiths. For the last 828 years, the site has been under Muslim control; and due to political sensibilities, no systematic archaeological excavation has ever been allowed at the site. In 1967, after the Six-Day war, Israel permitted the Awaqf (the Muslim trust that manages the site) to retain its control over the mount.

Israeli antiquities law requires a salvage excavation before construction at archaeological sites. The Awaqf chose to ignore this law when, in 1999, they illicitly bulldozed a huge pit on the Temple Mount for the construction of an entrance to a mosque, and dumped approximately 400 truckloads – 9,000 tons – of soil saturated with archaeological artifacts from all of Temple Mount’s historical periods into the nearby Kidron Valley.

Heavy machinery used for digging a new entrance to “Solomon’s Stables” (November 1999). This work was done without archaeological supervision, removing 9000 tons of earth, rich with ancient artifacts.

Archaeologists Dr. Gabriel Barkay and Zachi Dvira understood that this discarded earth represented a treasure trove of information, despite the fact that it had been so brutally wrenched from its archaeological context.

In 2004 they seized this unique opportunity and established the Temple Mount Sifting Project, with the goal of rescuing the ancient artifacts and conducting research that would enhance our understanding of the archeology and history of the Temple Mount.

Over the years the project has become a global educational endeavor. Attracting over 150,000 volunteers that have participated in the Sifting. An unprecedented number exceeding any archaeological project anywhere in the world. Such enthusiastic interest attests to the significance of the Temple Mount and the antiquities being uncovered. In addition, the public has assisted us in our efforts to understand some of the finds which were difficult to identify, via a unique website where images of these finds are displayed, and the public is invited to help us identify and determine the nature and date of these unique items. This involvement of a global public of interested participants, is unique in the history of archeological research, and has proven critical for the operation and advancement of the project.

This idea is vividly expressed in the Book of Psalms:

“For your servants have cherished her stones, and have redeemed her dust” (Psalms 102:14-15)

Now we are inviting you to be part of the next phase of this enterprise, by funding the analysis and publication of the project’s finds.

Since the Temple Mount has never been excavated, the ancient artifacts retrieved in the Sifting Project provide valuable and previously inaccessible information. Even though they have been extracted from their archaeological context, most of these artifacts can be identified and dated by comparing them with those found in other sites. We have developed new methodologies and technologies for studying the finds from the Temple Mount, and have implemented advanced quantitative and analytical methods for understanding the significance of the distribution of the finds throughout the debris.

Every bucket of earth we sift contains ancient artifacts representing 3000 years of the Temple Mount’s history. The most common categories are pottery fragments, glass vessel pieces, metal objects, animal bones, worked stones and mosaic tesserae.

In addition to these general categories, there are many fascinating finds, such as fragments of stone vessels, jewelry, beads, terracotta figurines, arrowheads and other weaponry, weights, clothing accessories, gaming pieces and dice, bone and shell inlays, furniture decorations, ornaments, bone and ivory objects, and fragments of inscriptions on stone and pottery.

Various pieces of jewelry from different periods. Materials include semi-precious stones, glass, bronze, silver and gold.

There are also elaborate architectural remains, including fragments of columns and their capitals, fragments of mosaic floors, opus Sectile floor tiles, frescos (colored wall plaster pieces) and glazed wall tiles.

To date, the Sifting Project has uncovered more than 5,000 coins, ranging from tiny silver coins from the 4th century BCE to coins minted in modern times. Among them are very rare and exciting coins such as the silver half-shekel discussed in greater detail below.

Selected coins from the Second Temple period

Bronze arrowhead dated to the 10th century BCE, the time of King Solomon. Arrowheads from this period are rarely found in Israel.

From the First Temple period (1000 to 586 BCE, from king David to the destruction of the First Temple) there is an abundance of pottery fragments originating from bowls, pots jars and jugs, as well as chalices, stands, rattles, and terracotta figurines (mostly four-legged animals, but also human female shaped fertility figurines).Other finds from this period include sling stones, stone weights, a bronze arrowhead from the time of King Solomon, and another rare bronze arrowhead used by the Babylonian army that destroyed the First Temple.

Inscribed artifacts include ostraca (inscribed pottery fragments) and clay seal impressions (bullae). One seal impression bears the Hebrew names ליהו… and אִמֶר, meaning “(Belonging to) […]lyahu (son of) Immer”. Immer was the name of a priestly family mentioned in the books of Jeremiah and Chronicles.

A 7th century BCE seal impression with ancient Hebrew writing, This seal impression is the first ancient Hebrew inscription ever found on the Temple Mount and is evidence of the administrative activity in the First Temple.

This seal impression is the first ancient Hebrew inscription ever found from the Temple Mount, and directly attests to the administrative activities in the First Temple.Other finds include a cone-shaped seal from the time of King Solomon depicting two animals, a black stone seal depicting a gazelle, and a seal made of lapis lazuli, a semi-precious gem stone.

During the Second Temple period (515 BCE to 70 CE) the Temple and its esplanade underwent several construction projects, primarily during the reign of King Herod and his descendants. The finds from this period include numerous pottery shards, especially from cooking pots, and many burnt livestock bones. These finds may be linked to the massive pilgrimages to the Temple described in written sources. The sifting also yielded fragments of architectural members that may be the remains of magnificent porticos that encircled the Temple Mount, or perhaps even remains of the Temple itself!

A very illuminating find is the collection of more than one thousand fragments of floor tiles in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

A fragment of an elaborately decorated frieze. The design is of an acanthus leaf typical of Herodian architecture. The stone has burn marks and may have originated in the Temple itself!.

These are identified as floor tiles used in a paving technique known in the Roman world as opus sectile, in which the tiles were assembled in various ways to form rich geometric patterns. The writings of Flavius Josephus testify that this technique was used as ornamentation for the open courts that surrounded the Temple:

Those entire courts that were exposed to the sky were laid with stones of all sorts (War. 5 5:2)

Josephus’ description is completely consistent with our finds and allows us to suggest a comprehensive reconstruction of the patterns of the Temple Mount floors.

We recovered Roman period arrowheads that may originate from the Roman siege before the destruction of the Temple. The sifted earth contains large amounts of ash from repeated conflagrations. This, too, may attest to the Roman destruction.

Floor tiles of various shapes, colors and sizes which were used in the opus sectile Roman Paving technique in royal structures. This type of floor is mentioned in the writings of Flavius Josephus regarding the floor of the open courts that surrounded the Temple.

A suggested reconstruction of the Temple courts according to Flavius Josephus’ writings and the floor tiles found at the Sifting Project.

Arrowheads from the Second Temple period.

The finds from the Late Roman period (70 to 324 CE) are not as numerous as in other periods, but do reflect the pagan nature of the site under Roman control. These finds include coins, pottery, gaming pieces, and evidence for a bone tools workshop at the site.

Bone and ivory dice common to the Roman period. Jewish law from that exact time, per the Mishnah, disqualifies as a legal witness any person who plays with dice (Sanhedrim 24b).

The Byzantine period (324 to 638 CE), too, is rich in archaeological remains, including mosaic tesserae, roof tiles, fragments of Corinthian pillar capitals, church chancel screens and numerous coins. The pottery includes many oil lamps, some bearing misspelled Greek inscriptions, and others emblazoned with a cross or stylized cruciform lamp handles. An important group of crucifixes and cross-shaped pendants of various styles and materials was also found. On some of them the image of Jesus appears in relief or incised.

The abundance of finds from this period challenges the standard assumption that the Temple Mount was deserted and devoid of structures during this period.

Byzantine period marble and limestone architectural fragments.

A very large percentage of the finds come from the Early Islamic period (638 to 1099 CE). In this period the name of the site was changed to Haram al-Sharif (the noble sanctuary). The Dome of the Rock was built by the Umayyad Khalif Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in 691 CE as a shrine to commemorate the spot where Solomon’s Temple once stood. Later on, in 705-714 CE, his son al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik built the Al-Aqsa mosque at the southern edge of the Haram al-Sharif above the ruins of a Byzantine structure.

Gilded glass mosaic tesserae from the Early Islamic period which were removed from the Dome of the Rock exterior walls during later renovations.

These edifices were renovated in later periods. These renovations included the removal of earlier architectural elements; the construction debris was dumped in the eastern side of the Temple Mount. Such renovations took place when the magnificent exterior gilded mosaics of the Dome of the Rock were replaced with decorated glazed wall tiles during the 16^th century CE, as well as when the floor tiles of the Dome of the Rock and the Dome of the Chain were replaced in modern times. The Sifting Project has indeed recovered tens of thousands of gilded glass tesserae cubes originating from the mosaics on the exterior walls of the Dome of the Rock, as well as many engraved marble architectural elements from various structures. Some of these architectural fragments were used within Umayyad structures, though they actually originated from the Byzantine or even Second Temple periods.

In addition, inscribed pottery, mother-of-pearl inlays, jewelry, gaming pieces, glass and metal weights with inscriptions, and many coins (including gold ones) and inscribed stones were recovered.

The finds from the Sifting Project greatly contribute to the archaeological and historical research of the Temple Mount during the Crusader period (1099 to 1187 CE). The Temple Mount was commonly associated with the Knights Templar in this period. The Knights used the Al-Aqsa Mosque as their headquarters and turned the large southeastern substructure into stables for their horses, calling it “Solomon’s Stables”. The earth we are sifting originated in the area of Solomon’s Stables and has yielded many remnants of Crusader activity, including arrowheads, horseshoe nails of typical European medieval cavalry and armor scales. These finds are the first archaeological evidence for the Knights Templar’s utilization of Solomon’s Stables. In addition, the biggest and most varied collection of silver coins of this period ever found in Jerusalem was discovered in the Sifting Project; among them are extremely rare coins and a one-of-a-kind Knights Templar medallion. The Crusader finds include many cruciform pendants, pottery and architectural remains. Many opus sectile floor tiles -that were installed in the Dome of the Rock and dismantled in later periods – were recovered in the sifting, enabling us to reconstruct the elaborate floor of the Dome of the Rock during the Crusaders’ times.

Crusader era iron horseshoe nails which belonged to the horses of the knights Templar that resided in Solomon’s Stables.

We have recovered numerous architectural elements from the Later Islamic periods (1187 to 1917 CE); most notable are the glazed tiles used by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to replace the original glass mosaics which ornamented the exterior walls of the Dome of the Rock. Moreover, thousands of coins from the Mameluke and Ottoman periods contribute significantly to the numismatic research of this period. This is also true regarding the abundant pottery from this period, which we plan to publish in great detail. Other finds from these periods include many jewelry pieces, clothing articles, military badges and insignia, old musket rounds and flint lock stones, an enormous number of Ottoman tobacco pipes, and much more.

Ottoman personal bronze seals. Among them is the seal of Abd al-Fattah al-Tamimi, who served as the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem in the early 18th century.

The Sifting Project has proven to be an unprecedented and inexhaustible source of knowledge about the Temple Mount. Archaeological finds that lay hidden within its soil for thousands of years can now be scientifically analyzed and published for the first time. The results of this endeavor will shed much light on the Temple Mount’s past, its builders and rebuilders, its religious and social significance, its defenders and its conquerors. Today, ten years into this project, about half of the debris removed from the Temple Mount has been sifted. The project is continuing full steam ahead and many more items await discovery.

for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56: 7)

The Temple Mount is sacred to more than half of the world’s population. According to the Bible, it is a place where heaven and earth meet, which was designated to be an epicenter for all facets the religious and national life,  and an anchor point from which the word of God is spread out to the world. Today it is Judaism’s holiest site, where the First and Second Temples once stood, and remains the focal point of Jewish longing prayers. For Christians, it is home to the Temple that Jesus knew.   It is the third holiest site in Islam, the location of the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Anything that happens on the Temple Mount resonates throughout the entire world.

Despite the fact that the Temple Mount is mentioned numerous times in the Bible and in other important ancient historical sources, much of its past remains a mystery. No archaeological excavation has ever taken place on the site because of its political sensitivity. The absence of archaeological data has resulted in many unresolved historical questions that are the subject of much scholarly debate.

Map of the Old City of Jerusalem with the major excavated areas in the last 150 years. Note the large blank rectangle of the Temple Mount where no systematic excavation has ever taken place.

The Temple Mount Sifting Project is as close as anyone has ever come to excavating the Temple Mount itself. The finds discovered over the past ten years represent the first ever archaeological data originating from within the Temple Mount soil. Publishing the results of our work will shed more light on the long history of this sacred site, and hopefully contribute to the resolution of many debates related to this site.

For example, some scholars doubt that the Temple Mount was part of the city during the 10^th century BCE, and suggest that Jerusalem was not a capital city but rather merely a small village. Our finds contradict this minimalist assertion and confirm the biblical account.

Unfortunately, many excavations fail to produce a scientific publication of their finds. Unpublished finds have little value for archaeological research. It is as though they had never been found. We cannot allow this to be the fate of the finds from such an important site as the Temple Mount.

In addition, today, the Temple Mount is the site of conflicts and disputes arising mainly from ignorance and disinformation. It is the most contested piece of land on our planet. Although among scholars (including Muslim scholars) the existence of the Jewish Temples at the site is beyond any doubt, in recent decades Palestinian Muslim political leaders have advanced new claims completely denying the existence of the First and Second Temples at the site. The publication of the Temple Mount Sifting Project finds will create an opportunity for educated dialogue and hopefully help reduce political conflicts. Ignorance feeds more conflicts and disputes while knowledge helps us better understand each other.

That is why we ask you to support our efforts to bring to light the history of the Temple Mount, a place of significance to billions of people throughout the world, and to prevent these antiquities and their history from being lost to barbaric illegal construction.

More than half a million finds await processing and analysis in our laboratory. The study and publication of these finds are enormous tasks that require diligence and the expertise of many scholars. The operation of the sifting site is currently funded by the Ir-David Foundation, but we lack funds for the research and publication of the finds.

The funding will be utilized for the following:

• Numerous researchers are already on board and others will soon be hired to study our artifacts: pottery vessels, architectural elements, coins, arrowheads, jewelry, floor tiles, figurines, etc.  Each artifact category requires multiple experts, each of whom specializes in a particular period of Jerusalem’s history.
• The most expensive segment of our work is the scientific analysis. Evaluation by Carbon-14 dating, mineralogical analysis, artifacts preservation, computerized statistical analysis and comparative typological data mining all require sophisticated expertise and highly specialized laboratory equipment.
• High resolution studio photography, 3-D laser scanning, scientific drawing, sorting, classifying, compiling, editing, and printing the final reports will help bring our new knowledge to the public.
• The operation and upkeep of our laboratory provides a center for our research.

The Temple Mount Sifting Project is all about the spirit of volunteering and taking responsibility in public matters. During the Second Temple period, each person expressed his commitment to the Temple by contributing half-shekel of silver annually in order to fund it operation. This tax was inspired by the Biblical obligation in the book of Exodus:

Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the holy shekel; half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. (Exodus 30: 13)

At the end of the Second Temple period this Temple Tax was paid using special silver half-shekel coins probably minted on the Temple Mount. We are fortunate to have recovered one such coin minted during the first year of the Great Jewish Revolt against Rome (66/67 CE)! This rare find — our own silver half shekel — has inspired us to launch our Half Shekel Crowd Funding website through which we can all share in the work of bringing to light the unknown story of the Temple Mount.

A rare silver half-shekel coin found in the sifting. Obverse: A chalice from the Temple topped by the letter aleph, meaning “Year One”. Around are the words “half a shekel”. Reverse: A branch with three pomegranates surrounded by the words “Holy Jerusalem”. These coins were used for paying the annual Temple tax according to the Biblical commandment in Exodus 30:13-15.

Some of you are probably asking what is the current value of the Half Shekel? Well, the current value of a shekel can be calculated by examining its purchasing power in ancient times. The biblical shekel that was used in the tabernacle was equal to 20 gera. The gera was the daily wage of a laborer. So half-shekel represented ten days’ wages for a blue-collar worker!

A four gera weight that was found in the sifting (First Temple period)

We do not expect to receive such sums from everyone; but we hope that you are inspired by the idea that everyone can contribute something to this cause. People who share our concern for the Temple Mount can assist in bringing to light its buried treasures with their own personal half-shekel contribution.

Even without a half-shekel donation, you can help by sharing this website and video via social media – on Facebook and Twitter. Raising awareness about the Temple Mount Sifting Project in your community, and even around your own dinner table, will help us give voice to the muted history of one of the world’s most sacred sites.

We encourage you, if you haven’t already and even if you did, to visit the Sifting site at Emek Zurim National Park in Jerusalem, and bring your friends.   Join us in experiencing the excitement of recovering the ancient remains of the Temple Mount. Click here for information about how to participate.

Below are links to a sample of the many reports about the Sifting Project that have appeared in past years in the media and are accessible online.

Smithsonian Magazine

National Geographic Magazine

Jerusalem Post

Haaretz

Israel Hayom

AP

NY Daily News