Jerusalem's Second Temple was built with gigantic stone blocks — now we think we know where they came from

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Archaeologists discovered a 2,000-year-old rock quarry in Jerusalem which may have provided the massive stone building blocks used in the Second Temple.

Two people at the quarry excavation site.
Archaeologists analyze the quarry excavation site. (Image credit: Antiquities Authority)

The source of the building stones for Jerusalem's Second Temple may have been discovered.

The vast quarry spans about 37,674 square feet (3,500 square meters) and contains building blocks, some of which weigh about 2.5 tons (2.25 metric tons), the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) recently announced in a statement.

The site dates back more than 2,000 years, to a time when King Herod ruled the kingdom of Judea. Herod built many structures during his reign, the most famous being the Second Temple, the most holy site in Judaism.

Related: 31 ancient temples from around the world, from Göbekli Tepe to the Parthenon

The first temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 B.C. This quarry was likely used until around A.D. 70, when the Roman Empire conquered Jerusalem during a revolt.

A stone vessel identified which was discovered in the quarry used for purification of a person. (Image credit: Antiquities Authority)

The quarry was discovered during excavations before a commercial complex was built. The quarry will be preserved and integrated into the complex, according to the statement.

This discovery "provides valuable insights into the scale of construction activities in Jerusalem during its peak period, just before its destruction by the Romans," Amos Frumkin, professor emeritus at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told Live Science in an email. "It helps paint a more complete picture of the city's industrial capabilities and the immense resources that went into its monumental architecture." 

Boaz Zissu, a professor of archaeology at Bar-Ilan University, praised the discovery in an email to Live Science.

He noted that other quarries from the same rough time period have been found in the Jerusalem area, including in Har Hotzvim. Archaeologists with the Israel Antiquities Authority who led the research did not respond to requests for comment by time of publication.

Owen Jarus
Owen Jarus
Live Science Contributor

Owen Jarus is a regular contributor to Live Science who writes about archaeology and humans' past. He has also written for The Independent (UK), The Canadian Press (CP) and The Associated Press (AP), among others. Owen has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and a journalism degree from Ryerson University.