Tram to the City with No Name

June 13, 2007

Shuafat concealed a secret. It took workmen digging a tram track to bring enlightenment. They unearthed a Jewish “city with no name.” Curiosity has ignited skilled archaeologists who are in great haste to discover its treasures. We know that the city dates back to the Second Temple period. Scholars have gravitated to the spot to inquire, debate, and analyze the history and exciting significance of the location. Some say it is the site of biblical Nob (1 Sam. 21–22).

Articles published on the discovery are rich with enthusiasm. “No one knew of a city of this importance just a few kilometers (miles) north of Jerusalem, and its name remains unknown,” beamed Rachel Bar Nathan, an archaeologist from the Israel Antiquities Authority. She is one of three archaeologists working at the site. The city is believed to have been built after Roman legions sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple in AD 70, Bar Nathan said. In a much publicized report, we learn the city was abandoned in the year 130, at the time of the last Jewish revolt against Rome, during the reign of Hadrian.

Under a large tarpaulin, 50 Palestinian workmen are busy with spades, shovels, picks, and brushes. They are digging for clues and searching for a history which will once again confirm the biblical credentials of the Jewish people. Already, uncovered walls have revealed pots filled with coins. A rare gold coin was found. It bears the face of Roman Emperor Trajan, who ruled from 98 to 117.

Here is an interesting twist. A large number of water cisterns have been found. Archaeologists speculate that this could mean the city was a supply stop for travelers on the north–south road. I wonder if anyone ever imagined it would one day be a tram stop at a full-fledged tourist haven. Archaeologists have found the remains of private homes, public buildings, and stone cooking utensils used by the Jews of that day. Thermal baths decorated with colorful mosaics have also been found. It all says that this place was a lively, active Jewish location. This discovery proclaims once again the rich biblical history of the Jewish people and the land of Israel. This is a unique town, and one day soon, you will be able to get there by tram.

By Ron Ross, Israel Mosaic Radio

Photo Credit: Photo by Will King