Excavations reveal how pilgrims accessed Second Temple Jerusalem

Archaeological work at the Ophel, a ridge south of the ancient Temple Mount in Jerusalem, is revealing how thousands of pilgrims accessed the Second Temple during major Jewish festivals in the first century BCE and CE. The Ophel served as the primary gateway between the City of David and the Temple complex, with most visitors passing through this narrow passage on their way to observe Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles as commanded in Deuteronomy. While ancient authors including Philo, Josephus, and New Testament writers documented the religious significance of these pilgrimages, they provided little practical detail about how the journeys were conducted. Later rabbinic accounts, written centuries after the Temple's destruction, are unreliable sources for authentic Second Temple practices. Uzi Leibner of the Hebrew University's Institute of Archaeology and colleague Orit Peleg-Barkat are leading new excavations at the Ophel that illuminate the physical infrastructure pilgrims encountered. Numerous ritual immersion pools have been uncovered at the site, along with architectural elements and artifacts that reflect the activities of visitors. These discoveries provide concrete archaeological evidence of how the Ophel accommodated the substantial flow of worshipers during the major holidays.

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Source: Biblical Archaeology Society — https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/jerusalem/jewish-pilgrimage-second-temple-jerusalem/