A 2,000 year-old tunnel was discovered by archaeologists under the walls of the city of Jerusalem last week. The discovery is particularly interesting to the study of water infrastructure in the ancient world.
Archaeologists speculate that the tunnel was used to drain rainwater around the Second Temple in the Old City before it was destroyed in 70 A.D.
The tunnel itself is 2,000 feet long, running from the heart of the Old City to the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan. According to reports about the tunnel, its course lies beneath the streets of the Old City and not under citizen homes.
The layout of the rainwater tunnel can give experts and archaeologists clues about what life was like during the Second Temple period before 70 A.D. Experts will soon identify the function of the rainwater tunnel to the city and its inhabitants.
Additional research about the rainwater tunnel will indicate how the ancient community handled excess rainwater. Was rainwater recycled and reused for other water projects? Or, was the excess water dumped and not used for agriculture, irrigation, or some other need of agrarian societies?
Questions about the excavation project and rights to the site remain. Some speculate that the archaeological project was an attempt to solidify Israel’s control over primarily Palestinian neighborhoods.
Ultimately, specialists and officials will have to determine who history belongs to in the case of the rainwater tunnel. When the excavation is complete, discussions about its status as a World Heritage Site or as one of the Wonders of the ancient world will leave history buffs and cultural connoisseurs curious about who owns the history of the rainwater tunnel.
The rainwater tunnel discovery ignites passions about religious and political issues in Israel. The project holds immense significance for the region. Dually, the rainwater tunnel is part of ancient history and a pawn on the chessboard of present-day politics.
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