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DUBY TAL / ALBATROSS / ALAMY

ANCIENT WATERWAYS. Although traditionally known as Solomon’s Pools, these three substantial reservoirs southwest of Bethlehem actually were built during the Hasmonean period (second–first centuries BCE). They served as crucial collection points able to hold more than 75 million gallons of water accumulated from local springs and surface runoff. From here, two channels—the Upper and Lower Aqueducts—flowed north toward Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Whereas the Upper Aqueduct only skirted Bethlehem on its way north, the Lower Aqueduct passed right through the heart of the city, providing residents with an essential supply of fresh water.