Mystery Uncovered Near Jerusalem's Walls: Whose Handprint is This?

Whose handprint was found near the walls of Jerusalem? Sections of the ancient Jerusalem walls fortifications and a mysterious handprint carved into the rock were revealed during archaeological excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority on Sultan Suleiman Street in Jerusalem.

During the excavations, which were conducted ahead of infrastructure development work by Moriah Jerusalem Development Company, segments were uncovered from the deep moat surrounding the city designed to protect it, dating back to the 10th century CE, if not earlier. In one of the segments, a carved handprint was discovered on the trench wall, its purpose unknown. "We don't know whether the handprint was carved as an act of vandalism, a prank out of boredom, or if it symbolizes something and actually points in some direction," say the researchers.

Zubair Adawi, the excavation director from the Israel Antiquities Authority, noted that it is a massive trench located under a very busy road: "It's a huge trench, hewn into the rock, at least 10 meters wide and from 2 to more than 7 meters deep at its deepest point."

The trench encircles the entire old city like a ring and its role was to prevent an enemy besieging the city from approaching the wall and breaking in. According to Adawi, "People are familiar with moat ditches from movies, usually filled with water in European castles and fortresses. Here it was dry, but still, due to its depth and width, it posed a serious obstacle that slowed down advancing soldiers."

Dr. Amit Re'em, Jerusalem District archaeologist of the Israel Antiquities Authority, explained: "The impressive walls and gates of Jerusalem that we see today were built in the mid-16th century by the Turkish Sultan Suleiman the First. The walls that stood here in medieval times - from the 10th century CE, were much stronger, and even earlier, a giant moat surrounded the city's walls. In the era of knight battles, swords, arrows, and charging cavalry, Jerusalem's fortifications were formidable and sophisticated, including multiple walls and elements designed to stop the large armies attacking the city."

"Anyone seeking to conquer ancient Jerusalem in the medieval times had to pass a deep moat and two thick walls. All the while, the city's defenders rained down fire and brimstone from the walls. It was sheer hell! And if that wasn't enough, the city's fortifications included secret tunnels, also uncovered by our archaeologists in previous projects. From these tunnels, the city's defenders emerged. They struck the enemy and disappeared back into the city in the blink of an eye - through those sophisticated passageways," says Dr. Re'em.

Eli Eskosido, the director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said: "Many have dreamed and fought for Jerusalem. Facing these archaeological finds, one can comprehend the scale of the events and upheavals this city has undergone. One can almost hear the sounds of battle and smell the smoke. Nearly every day, we uncover another layer of Jerusalem's glorious history, and this time - we bear witness to its rich military history. We will make every effort to make this accessible and present it to the public."

Rabbi Zamir Cohen shares a heartfelt message about Jerusalem: