3000-year-old religious shrine discovered in heart of Jerusalem

3000-year-old religious shrine discovered in heart of Jerusalem

Mangalore Today News Network

Jerusalem, January 20, 2025: A religious shrine, believed to have been sealed by the ancestors of Jesus and preserved for nearly 3,000 years, has been uncovered in Jerusalem, according to a report by the New York Post. The shrine, carved into the rock near Temple Mount, features eight rooms including an altar, a sacred standing stone and presses for making olive oil and wine.

Experts believe the destruction of this shrine could be linked to the biblical figure Hezekiah, an ancestor of Jesus. Though excavations began in 2010, the northern part of the site was first discovered in 1909 by British explorer Montague Parker.

Eli Shukron, the excavation director at the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), published findings in the IAA’s scientific journal Atiqot. Shukron explained that the shrine dates back to Hezekiah’s reign when other ritual sites existed outside the main temple during the First Temple period.

“The structure ceased to function during the 8th century BC, possibly as part of King Hezekiah’s religious reform," Shukron told the outlet.

According to the Bible, Hezekiah’s reforms aimed to centralise worship at the temple in Jerusalem and abolish scattered ritual sites across the kingdom. Both Hezekiah and his successor, Josiah, are mentioned as paternal grandfathers of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

Hezekiah’s actions are described as a campaign to destroy pagan worship locations including sacred stones. The standing stone at this site survived Hezekiah’s abolition.

Shukron referred to the discovery as “the most dramatic and important find in the excavation."

“It is what makes this place a cultic site. When we uncovered it, we found it standing in its place, with stones around it. The standing stone was covered with earth; it was preserved – no one destroyed it," Shukron said.

“When we found it, it was exactly as it was here 2,800 years ago," he added.

The excavation team also discovered the remnants of an altar, identifiable by a drainage channel that still runs from one of its corners. In another area of the site, obscure v-shaped carvings were found on the floor. These carvings are thought to have supported a ritual tripod.

During the excavation, archaeologists uncovered several 8th-century BC artefacts hidden behind a stone wall in a cave. These items included cooking vessels, jars marked with ancient Hebrew inscriptions, and items used for daily life such as loom weights and grinding stones. They also found scarabs and seals with decorative designs.