Israel Uncovers Ancient Jerusalem Road in Old City

An ancient Jerusalem thoroughfare walked by Christian pilgrims 1,500 years ago was uncovered in the Old City, confirming the authenticity of a mosaic map in a church in Jordan, Israel Antiquities Authority said today.

The remains of what was once one of the city’s large bustling streets went undiscovered, said archaeologists. Other important buildings on the map have been found over the years, or survived to this day, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where tradition holds that Jesus was crucified.

“At a depth of 4.5 meters below today’s street level, much to our excitement we discovered the large flagstones that paved the street,” Ofer Sion, excavation director for the authority, said in an e-mailed statement.

The excavation, part of a renovation of the area, started three weeks ago and the street was discovered earlier this week, said Authority spokeswoman Yoli Shwartz.

The find will be covered up again once the work is finished, she said in a telephone interview. Also discovered in the excavation were pottery vessels, coins and five small square bronze weights that shopkeepers used for weighing precious metals.

The Madaba Map is a mosaic in a church in Madaba, Jordan that depicted Christian sites in the land of Israel.

Source: Business Week (http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-10/israel-undercovers-ancient-jerusalem-road-in-old-city-update1-.html)