Page 12 - Holyland Magazine - 2019 Edition
P. 12
The Guiding Hand
of Herod's Pools
New observation of the connection between the herodian
water facilities during the 1st century AD
The Kishle archaeological dig at the Tower of David
IBy Omer Eshel By looking at Herod’s palaces, we can Temple, but less is known of his efforts to
t’s well known that the Middle East is identify a central and recurring motif – pools. construct pools throughout Jerusalem,
deprived of water. Unlike many cities whether for ritualistic purposes such, as with
in Europe, Israeli cities, in particular, The pools provided a source of drinking the Siloam Pool, or for show of power such
depended on neighboring cisterns and water, but mainly served the purposes of as the double pools in Herod’s palace (today
springs for water for many years. It wasn’t appearance and demonstration of power. the Tower of David).
until the establishment of the Hasmonean One of the most impressive is the pool
Dynasty in the 3rd century BC that aqueducts in Caesarea, a freshwater pool that was The Siloam Pool, the same pool which had
were constructed to provide large cities with carved into the Mediterranean. Imagine, a drained the flood water from the Temple
adequate water supply. freshwater pool right in the salty sea! Mount and the spring water of the Gihon
Spring, the pool in which every pilgrim would
Ever since these constructions, reservoirs We are all aware that Herod’s greatest immerse himself and collect water to carry
have signified wealth and power throughout endeavor was the construction of the Temple up Ma’alot St. in order to sprinkle on the
the Middle East. It is one of the reasons why Mount and the expansion of the Second altar during the festival of Beit HaShoeivah
King Herod was so obsessed with ponds
and reservoirs.
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