Courtesy Benjamin Mazar, Archaeological Expedition of the Hebrew University and the Israel Exploration Society near the Temple Mount
The southwestern corner of the massive Herodian Temple Mount retaining wall is in the background. In the left foreground is part of an early Moslem (Omayyad) palace complex which, in part, reused stones toppled from the Temple Mount when it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A. D. The well-laid pavement stones are a portion of a Herodian street parallel to the southern wall which ascends to the southern (Huldah) gates. Below the man in the center are the first few steps of a stairway which was part of the main north-south pavement.