Archaeologists make 'significant' discovery near biblical pool where Jesus healed a blind man

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient dam in Jerusalem's City of David, not far from the body of water where Jesus famously healed a blind man.

Officials noted in an Aug. 30 release that the wall was recently found during excavations near the Pool of Siloam within the Jerusalem Walls National Park.

The Pool of Siloam, rediscovered in 2004, existed as a basin fed by the Gihon Spring. The Gospel of John recounts the testimony of a blind man who was healed by Jesus at the pool.

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John 9:10-11 states, "'How then were your eyes opened?' they asked. He replied, 'The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.'"

The newly discovered dam dates to the ninth century B.C., nearly 2,800 years ago. It could have been built under the reign of either King Joash or King Amaziah, according to officials.

The dam was found as part of a joint study between the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the Weizmann Institute of Science. The team published its research in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on Aug. 25.

Remarkably, the dam is the largest ever discovered in Israel and the oldest in Jerusalem.  

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Pictures from the site show archaeologists excavating the massive stone-built dam.

The structure is roughly 39 feet high and 69 feet long, in addition to being 26 feet wide.

Researchers also pinpointed the dam's age to a very slim 10-year margin, thanks to twigs and branches that were embedded in the dam's mortar. It was built between 805 and 795 B.C.

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The City of David noted that the dam may have been a "creative solution to a climate crisis," as a direct response to the drought and flash flood conditions present in ancient Jerusalem.

"The dam was designed to collect waters from the Gihon Spring as well as floodwaters flowing down the main valley of ancient Jerusalem," the excavation directors said in a statement.

"All the [studied] data pointed to a period of low rainfall in the Land of Israel, interspersed with short and intense storms that could cause flooding. … It follows that the establishment of such large-scale water systems was a direct response to climate change and arid conditions."

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In a statement, IAA Director Eli Escusido called the dam "one of the most impressive and significant First Temple-period remains in Jerusalem."

He added, "In recent years, Jerusalem has been revealed more than ever before, with all its periods, layers and cultures - and many surprises still await us."

As the most-referenced city in the Bible, Jerusalem is full of ancient history that is still being discovered today.

Earlier this year, proof of an ancient garden was found at the holiest site in Christianity, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

A coin minted just before the destruction of the Second Temple, an event predicted in the Gospels, was also recently found in Jerusalem.