On the eastern slope of the City of David, just a few hundred yards from the ancient Temple Mount, archaeologists discovered a substantial 2,300-square-foot structure, partially carved into the rocky hillside, that appears to have been a cult shrine. Originally constructed by the end of the Middle Bronze Age (c. 1550 BCE), the site has yielded clear evidence of cultic activity well into the time of the biblical kings (c. 1000–586 BCE). In the building’s eight rock-cut rooms were several installations, including an altar, a standing stone (massebah) representing the deity, a winepress, and an olive press. The presses may […]
