Jerusalem – The Israeli Antiques Authority has announced that archeologists working on a dig in the neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo in Jerusalem have unearthed an ancient stone quarry containing items dating back some 2,000 years.
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The TIMES OF ISRAEL (http://bit.ly/16hKB39) reports that included in the findings are a three-toothed iron key and masonry tools such as pickaxes and metal wedges that were instrumental in removing specially cut rocks from the quarry, which experts estimate would have been providing resources during the period of the Second Temple.
Excavation director Irina Zilberbod said her assumption is that the key must have fallen out of pocket of one of the “quarrymen” and left behind.
The project is classified as a “salvage dig” aimed at freeing up space for new road construction.
‘her assumption is that the key must have fallen out of pocket of one of the “quarrymen” and left behind.’
From that statement we can learn that quarrymen in Mishnaic times had deep, large pockets.
How do they build anything at all in Jerusalem with all the old stuff, and all the competing ethnic and religious groups?
These finds could be very helpful in identifying objects listed in the Mishnah and Gemara (tools, jewelry, and the like).