Water in the Desert

This year’s dig was the second of five scheduled seasons. The dig, a cooperative effort of Tel Aviv University and the University of Heidelberg in Germany, was conducted under the supervision of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Coins, pottery, and seals were discovered this year, confirming that this was a royal site. However, the most significant find of this season was part of a major water system, independent from the water systems of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. About five large holding pools were discovered, along with channels for directing the flow of water.

The Ramat Rachel site was continuously occupied from the time of the Judean Monarchy in the Iron Age to the time of the Crusades, and archaeologists believe that the water system was used by several different cultures for a variety of purposes.

Some archaeologists believe that the site might have been the location of King Uzziah’s palace, after he was stricken with leprosy and moved out of Jerusalem (2 Chron. 26). The remains of both the palace and water system seem to confirm that this was a royal palace during the period of the Judean Monarchy, but there is nothing yet conclusive beyond that to point specifically to King Uzziah.

Both archaeologists and the Ministry of Tourism are hailing the discoveries as incredibly important finds, and plans are underway to make Ramat Rachel a major tourist site. Next year, archaeologists hope to discover either the water source that fed the pools or the reservoir where the water was held.