Iron Age moat that divided northern and southern parts of biblical Jerusalem has archaeologists baffled

Excavations in the biblical City of David, just south of the Temple Mount, revealed an interesting and unexpected feature in the Iron Age remains of the city - a massive moat cut into rock. 

The finding was recently published by the archaeologists involved in the excavation.

The moat separated the northern and southern ridges of the biblical-era city and significantly altered the natural terrain. However, archaeologists are not sure what the precise purpose of the moat was. 

The moat is quite large, at almost 100 feet wide and 20 feet deep, and appears to completely separate the northern and southern parts of the city. The excavation was only conducted in a section of the City of David, thus the archaeologists were not able to follow the moat until its end. 

One of the proposed explanations is that the moat is “a pre-Iron Age fortification moat.” Following the natural decline of the hill from the Temple Mount to the city would give an advantage to attackers arriving from the north. The moat also creates a large barrier, removing the advantage, by forcing an invader to somehow bridge the moat, which would be difficult during times of war. 

Additionally, the northern scarp is terraced, while the southern scarp, going up to the city, is a vertical wall that prevents easy access. 

While the scholars consider this explanation “probable and clearly appealing,” they also say that until further excavations are carried out, the explanation is “based on circumstantial evidence.” 

The researchers note that the moat also appears to completely divide the Temple Mount from the southern part of the city, creating an acropolis, as in many other Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) cities. 

They note that this moat, along with the construction of “the Stepped Stone Structure, the reshaping of the western slope, and the construction of the Ophel,” all “completely altered the natural topography of ancient Jerusalem.” 

Thus, the construction of the moat was a deliberate action, whose purpose is not yet clear. The researchers state, “A better dating of the moat and the surrounding building projects may help gain a better understanding of the original function and political setting of the city.” 

The date of the carving of the moat is also not clear. Excavations show that the moat existed in the Iron Age (biblical times), but do not show when it was first made. 

Previous digs noticed the presence of the depression but didn’t excavate all the way to the rock, and therefore, didn’t notice that it was artificial. The researchers believe that if previous excavators had dug further, they would have clearly seen the artificial nature of the moat. 

The moat appears to have been filled in during the second century B.C., around the time of the Maccabees, to allow expansion of the city.