1/17/23, 9:08 PM Volume 127 Year 2015 Jerusalem, the Old City, The Western Wall Foundations https://www.hadashot-esi.org.il/Report_Detail_eng.aspx?print=all&id=15729&mag_id=122 1/10 Volume 127 Year 2015 (reports_eng.aspx? id=122) Jerusalem, the Old City, The Western Wall Foundations From December 2013 to March 2014, excavations were conducted near the southwestern corner of the Temple Mount in the Jerusalem Archaeological Park (Permit Nos. A-6971, A-7016; map ref. 222305–20/631442–70) in order to expose the foundations of the Temple Mount wall. The excavations, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the City of David Society, were directed by J. Uziel, with the assistance of M. Hagbi (area supervision), V. Essman and Y. Shmidov (surveying and drafting), A. Peretz (photography), G. Berkowitz (work foreman), N. Natanel and B. Cohen (safety) and O. Cohen and Y. Rosenthal (engineering). Wet sieving was carried out in the Zurim Valley supervised by G. Zagdon and I. Novoselesky. The foundations of the Western Wall were first exposed in 1867 by C. Warren ( 1884). He dug two tunnels from inside the Second Temple drainage channel that ascends north from Siloam Pool toward the Temple Mount and to the street at the foot of the Mount. Both tunnels led from the drainage channel to the Western Wall foundations. Warren breached the street above the northern tunnel, and descended through it into the drainage channel. This is the same opening visitors use today to exit into the street below Robinson’s Arch in the visitor center of the archaeological park. The southern tunnel is located c. 10 m south of the northern one. In 2012, work was begun to properly reveal the Western Wall foundations ( Shukron and Reich 2011 (http://www.hadashot-esi.org.il/Report_Detail_Eng.aspx? id=1884&mag_id=118); Shukron 2012). The excavations were conducted through the drainage channel, from the southern tunnel to the northern tunnel dug by Warren, and from there northward to the ascent to the Mughrabi Gate. The Western Wall foundations and building remains that predate the wall’s construction were exposed. Moran Hagbi and Joe Uziel 08/03/2015 Preliminary Report