Israel Archaeology Foundation

The Israel Archaeology Foundation is supporting the research of the archaeological finds from the Temple Mount Sifting Project that was established in response to the illegal removal of tons of antiquities-rich earth from the Temple Mount. No archaeological excavation has ever taken place on the site due to political concerns. The absence of archaeological data has resulted in many unresolved and hotly debated historical questions. Although most scholars (including Muslim scholars) assert that the Jewish Temples were located on this site, Palestinian and Muslim leaders have begun denying their existence here. This claim was then supported in the recent UNESCO resolution in October 2016. How we came into the picture: In 1999, the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement bulldozed a large pit on the Temple Mount for the construction of an entrance to an ancient underground structure which was converted into a mosque. Israeli antiquities law requires a salvage excavation before construction at archaeological sites, thus these actions were illegal. Making matters worse, approximately 400 truckloads – 9,000 tons – of soil saturated with priceless archaeological artifacts were dumped as garbage in 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 rare glimpse at the past, despite the fact that it had been wrenched from its archaeological context. (Context like location, layer, and relation to other artifacts make up the basic parameters for evaluating archaeological significance.) In 2004, Barkay and Dvira removed truckloads of dirt from the debris dumped in the Kidron Valley and began a large-scale sifting project to recover treasures that were slated for the garbage. In doing so, they established the Temple Mount Sifting Project (TMSP), with the goal of rescuing ancient artifacts and conducting research to enhance our understanding of the archeology and history of the Temple Mount. The ancient artifacts retrieved by the Sifting Project provide valuable and previously inaccessible information about this important and contested site. In response to the archaeological challenges posed by the endeavor, our team of experts has implemented innovative methodologies and technologies for studying the finds. For example, we employ advance quantitative and statistical methods that reestablish the archaeological context of the finds. Volunteers sifting at our sifting site in Emek Tzurim National Park. In 12 years, and with over 200,000 volunteers from around the world, the project has become a major global educational and historical endeavor. The public’s help has proven critical for the operation and advancement of the project and attests to the importance of what is being revealed. Ultimately, the Temple Mount Sifting Project is the closest anyone has come to excavating the Temple Mount itself. We are focusing on the next phase of the project, which is the research required for a full scientific publication. Publishing the results of our work will shed more light on the long history of this sacred site and will contribute to the resolution of debates related to this site. We plan on having at least 3 volumes of research published in 2018. This will include the history of the Temple Mount, Coins, Pottery, and Special Finds.