Hezekiah’s Pool Today

Until just a few decades ago, Hezekiah’s Pool was full of water, cleaned and maintained. Preservation of the site can be readily seen in this stereoscopic photograph dated at the beginning of this century.

 

Actual photograph of Hezekiah's Pool dated early 1900's.

It is still unknown whether the water was still accumulating through the underground tunnel  or was just gathered rain water from the immediate vicinity. Leakage began to occur in some of the structures that surround the pool and while under arab control, the pool was emptied as per the following photograph.

 

the pool was emptied creating a courtyard with an uneven floor

Over the next few decades, many illegal houses were built up around the pool destroying many of the artifacts. Today the Pool is surrounded by Arab and Christian dwellings and is by far the most disgusting and dilapidated area in the Old City Of Jerusalem bar none, as can be easily seen in the following current photographs.

 

 

A festering cesspool of sickness and disease where squatters camp

Archaeological site constitutes cultural heritage of Israel.

Welcome to JerusalemConservation.Wordpress.com. The focus of this BLOG is to direct attention to an important biblical site in the Old City of Jerusalem known as the Pool of Hezekia. Here we will demonstrate the dire need for archaeological excavation and historic conservation of one of the few confirmed Jewish landmarks from the bronze age (end of the eighth century BCE) and appeal to each visitor to join in and click their digital signature on a petition requesting that this well deserved site become an official project of the the state of Israel under the jurisdiction of the ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY.

Lets first look at some beautiful pictures revealing just how majestic the pool must have been over the centuries…