Temple Mount Sifting Project

01/04/2026

Is it harder to take Egypt out of the Israelites than the Israelites out of Egypt? A fascinating archaeological discovery from the Temple Mount!

As Passover approaches, many discuss the verse "And the Lord spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, and gave them a charge to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:13). It is often said that sometimes it's harder to take Egypt out of the people of Israel than to take the people of Israel out of Egypt. Usually, this refers to spiritual enslavement - but a brand new discovery uncovered just this week proves that it was just as hard to get "Egyptian" culture out of Judah!

So, what did we find?
Cynics might say Israeli archaeologists always "pull out" discoveries right before the holidays (just like last summer when we found a First Temple destruction clay sealing right before Tisha B'Av). But it turns out reality beats any timing!

This past Sunday, Arbel Monnickendam and his family came to sift soil from the Temple Mount (don't worry, we have a protected space), and they found a fragment of a clay sealings from the First Temple period. The sealing features distinct Egyptian symbols, including a winged sun (a symbol of rule under divine protection) and parts of a cartouche (an oval frame enclosing Egyptian names).
We can't publish more details or a closeup photo just yet, as the artifact requires proper scientific research and publication before being presented to the wider public. But because of the amazing timing right before Passover night, we just had to share our excitement with you!

The Bigger Picture
This finding joins a series of other discoveries from the Sifting Project, Jerusalem, and Judah from the same period, all pointing to a widespread use of Egyptian characteristics in the Judah’s administrative system of the First Temple era. We find the use of Hieratic (Egyptian) numerals, weights and measures, glyptic symbols, and even Egyptian names on seals. We even see this in the Bible itself, especially among priests and Levites who carry Egyptian names (such as Hophni, Phinehas, and Pashhur).

The roots of this Egyptian influence in Judean administration likely go back to the Late Bronze Age when Egypt (in 18th-20th dynasties) ruled Canaan, which required establishing a massive administrative apparatus.

What does this actually mean?
Does using symbols from Egyptian deity worship reflect the adoption of Egyptian religion among the people of Judah? Or did these symbols undergo a "secularization" process, becoming universal administrative icons? (Similar to our secular month names today, like March or July, which originate from Roman gods and rulers).
Another fascinating question: what was the attitude of Judeans during the First Temple period toward Egyptian culture, given the Exodus tradition? As we know, Judah had a complex, rollercoaster relationship with Egypt: from King Solomon's marriage to Pharaoh's daughter and extensive trade relations, through Shishak's invasion and the looting of the Temple, King Hezekiah relying on Egypt against Assyrian invasion, the fatal clash with Pharaoh Necho during Josiah's reign, and finally, Egyptian military assistance during the Babylonian siege.

We'll leave the complex answers to the research, but we definitely wanted to share this new layer of data on Israel-Egypt relations revealed just days before Passover.

Happy Passover! May we merit freedom from all enslavements -mental and material - whether "Egyptian" or otherwise. We hold a deep hope for a swift end to the war, by removing all threats from those seeking to destroy the people of Israel

18/03/2026

I am excited to share that I will be visiting Texas for a few days in late April! While I am there, I am setting aside my evenings to connect with local communities, universities, and organizations.

I am currently open to invitations to give guest lectures and presentations during my visit, and I would love the opportunity to share our research and discoveries with your community.

I am available to speak on a variety of topics, including:

The Temple Mount Sifting Project: Our story, methodology, unique challenges, and the most significant finds we've recovered from the soil of the Temple Mount.

Biblical Archaeology: Bridging the gap between text and material culture in ancient Israel.

Ancient Jerusalem: The history and archaeology of the city, with a special focus on the First and Second Temple periods.

If your congregation, university, or local community group is interested in hosting a lecture, or if you would like more details, please reach out via email at: [email protected].

Looking forward to seeing some of you in the Lone Star State!

Zachi Dvira
Director, Temple Mount Sifting Project

19/02/2026

FROM THE HEART OF JERUSALEM TO THE PEOPLE OF IRAN: A SASSANID TREASURE IN THE SOIL OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT
(Dedicated to the memory of Dr. Gabriel Barkay (1944–2026) z”l, and the brave citizens of Iran.)

The early 7th century in Jerusalem was a time of seismic shifts. For nearly 300 years, the city had been an important jewel in the crown of the Christian Byzantine Empire, but in 614 CE, the “Last Great War of Antiquity” brought the Sassanid Persians to the gates. Jewish soldiers provided critical intelligence and logistical support to the Persians who were unfamiliar with the rugged topography of Judea and the urban layout of Byzantine Jerusalem. Following a brutal 21-day siege, the city fell to the forces of Khosrow II and his general, Shahrbaraz, marking a rare 14-year window of Persian rule that would fundamentally alter the city’s destiny before the Byzantine recapture in 628 CE. This brief but intense “Sassanian interlude” saw the city shift from a closed Byzantine center to a place of potential national revival for the local Jewish population, who were initially granted administrative roles and freedom of worship under the new imperial order.

While we often speak of the “Persian Period” in Jerusalem in the context of the mid-6th to mid-4th centuries BCE, from the return from the Babylonian exile under Cyrus, and the reconstruction of the city under Ezra and Nehemiah until the toppling of the Persian Achaemenid empire by Alexander the Great, it is exceptionally rare to find artifacts from Jerusalem’s “Second Persian Period,” the brief 14-year window of Sassanid rule between 614 and 628 CE. A few dramatic discoveries from this period include the Ophel menorah medallion, likely intended as an ornament for a Torah scroll, and the “House of Menorot”, where a Christian cross was plastered over to reclaim the space. We also have the tragic evidence of the conquest’s violence found in the Byzantine mass graves at Mamilla, a somber reminder of the 614 CE siege.

In the quiet hum of the Temple Mount Sifting Project lab, an artifact’s true identity often rests on a single, sharp-eyed observation. Such was the case with a small, dark object that had been initially set aside as a “broken bead.” Our glass expert, Dorit Gutreich, was sorting through the beads when she paused over this particular piece. “I realized it wasn’t broken but carved,” Dorit recounts. “I hesitantly asked other people at the lab if it’s true or am I imagining things; then I started looking online for similar stone seals, and learned it is from the Sassanian period.”

Upon close examination, the technical sophistication of the piece is evident, marking it as a product of a high-level imperial workshop. Expert analysis by geologist Dov Levitte has identified the material as a type of chalcedony, either green Jasper or heliotrope. The stone’s color is dark green with two light-brown spots and takes the form of an intact, low dome (hemispheroid) perforated near its flat, oval base. The technical ex*****on of the piece is highly characteristic of ancient glyptics; the animal’s torso is defined by deep, rhythmic “hatched” incisions created with a combination of wide-round drills and thin drills. This hatched ribbing is a clear diagnostic feature of Sassanid gem-cutting traditions.

The specific identity of the animal, however, has sparked a fascinating debate. Shua Amorai-Stark identified the motif as a zebu bull (the back-humped bull), a reclining bovine facing left. Beyond the general silhouette, she points to the specific “back-humped” posture and the use of wide round drills to emphasize the heavy chest and shoulders, which are diagnostic hallmarks for bovines in Sassanian glyptic art. The zebu was a sacred animal representing the Zoroastrian deity Vohu Manah and the “primeval bull,” serving as a symbol of divine protection and cosmic order. This religious significance made it a prominent motif on royal seals and luxury silverwork, where it functioned as a talismanic emblem of the king’s authority and celestial favor. However, seals with this symbol were also used by people of different professions who possessed deep faith.

Conversely, the author of this post (Y. Z.) suggests the animal is a stag, arguing that the way the lines fan out perfectly captures the unique “palmate” or shovel-like antlers of the species. This fanned antler structure is a key feature in other professionally identified Sassanian deer seals, such as the stag motif dome seal at the Smithsonian, the hematite couchant stag at the British Museum, and the carnelian Sasanian stag seal in the USC Archaeological Research Collection. This motif is also seen in grander Sassanid works like the royal hunt reliefs at Taq-e Bostan or the exquisite silver hunting plates of the British Museum. While the zebu is a more common administrative seal, depictions of stags on Sassanian gems do exist, often reserved for higher-status individuals who wished to evoke the Khvarenah, or divine glory, associated with the noble hunt.

This connection to the stag is particularly poignant when one considers the modern saga of the Persian fallow deer (Yachmur). Having gone extinct in the wild in Israel by the 1920s, the species was thought lost until a small population was discovered in Iran in the 1950s. Their return to Israel was a cinematic thriller; in late 1978, amidst the chaos of the Iranian Revolution, a high-stakes mission between the Israeli Nature Reserves Authority and the Iranian Game and Fish Department smuggled four deer onto the very last commercial flight from Tehran to Tel Aviv. This operation, born from a friendship between Avraham Yoffe and Prince Abdorreza Pahlavi, allowed the Yachmur to flourish once again in the Jerusalem hills. Just as those deer traveled from the Persian heartland to restore a lost piece of Israel’s ecology, this Sassanian seal traveled here centuries ago to mark a shared history.

The discovery of this Sasanian seal is made even more poignant by the recent passing of Dr. Gabriel Barkay, the co-founder of the Temple Mount Sifting Project and a titan of Jerusalem’s archaeology. Gaby was a rare bridge between the archaeological worlds of Israel and Iran; between 1969 and 1971, he participated in the French excavations at Susa (Shushan) under the leadership of Jean Perrot, working alongside Myriam Rosen-Ayalon to uncover the monumental Palace of Darius. It is a profound symbolic coincidence that Gaby was laid to rest in the “Yekirei Yerushalayim” (worthy of Jerusalem) section of Har HaMenuchot cemetery just steps away from Meir Ezri, Israel’s first ambassador to Iran (1968-1973), who facilitated the very era of cooperation that allowed Gaby to walk the ruins of the Persian heartland. This seal, unearthed from the soil of the Temple Mount, stands as a final tribute to Gaby’s legacy, a reminder that the ancient bridges of history and scholarship remain far more enduring than the walls of modern politics.

Unearthed directly from the ancient soil of the Temple Mount, this seal stands as a message of profound solidarity with the Iranian people who are today bravely fighting against an oppressive regime. It is a poignant irony that while researching this find, we were unable to access many Iranian archaeological websites due to the current internet blackouts imposed by their government. From the heart of Jerusalem, the discovery of this Persian treasure serves as a powerful reminder that our histories are not defined just by the current modern conflict, but also by periods of deep and even harmonious interconnection. By identifying and honoring this Sassanid treasure found in the very soil of the Temple Mount, we celebrate a future where the “divine glory” of freedom returns to the Iranian people, and the ancient bridges between our cultures are restored once more.

See links to refferences in original post on our website:
https://tmsifting.org/en/2026/02/19/from-the-heart-of-jerusalem-to-the-people-of-iran-a-sassanid-treasure-in-the-soil-of-the-temple-mount/

12/02/2026

“And Grant You Peace” A Night of Scholarship, Song, and Memory for Dr. Gabriel Barkay
==========================================
This past Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the hall at Yad Ben-Zvi in Jerusalem was filled with friends, family, colleagues, and students who had gathered to mark the shloshim (30 days) of our teacher, co-founder, and friend, Dr. Gabriel Barkay (z”l). The event, titled “וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם “ (And Grant You Peace), a fitting tribute to the man who discovered the oldest biblical text containing the Priestly Blessing, was a mosaic of a life dedicated to Jerusalem, blending deep academic insight with touching personal memories.

The evening was honored by a special message from the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, who joined us in spirit while traveling in Australia. President Herzog described Gabi as “one of the giants of archaeology” whose work was crucial in proving the deep connection of the Jewish people to their land. He noted that Gabi did not settle for “nostalgic yearning” or “metaphorical stones,” but worked tirelessly to find “actual, physical proof” of our history. President Herzog concluded, quoting the poignant lyrics of Naomi Shemer:

“If you hewed stone in the mountain to build a new building, / Not in vain, my brother, did you hew for a new building, / For from these stones – the Temple shall be built.”

We wish to thank Israel Caspi for his help in connecting us with President Herzog during his travels so that these meaningful words could be shared.

The memorial was initiated, organized, and moderated by Renana Zer-Kavod Erlich, who felt a deep personal obligation to honor Gabi’s memory after being unable to attend his funeral. She joined forces with Zachi Dvira and Gadi Dahan—a dear friend and neighbor of Gabi’s who also guides at the Sifting Project—to bring together the Israel Archaeological Foundation and Yad Ben-Zvi, creating a space where his legacy could be fully celebrated. The atmosphere was set with moving artistic tributes, beginning with the legendary Shuli Natan performing a Hungarian lullaby as a tender nod to Gabi’s childhood roots in Budapest. This was followed by a moving poem read by Gabi’s partner, Esther Yerushalem, titled “A Poem in Memory of My Beloved”.

Opening words were shared by leaders of some of the institutions central to Gabi’s life, including Yaniv Mezuman, CEO of Yad Ben-Zvi, and Dr. Yehiel Zelinger of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). Alon Shavit, CEO of the Israeli Institute of Archaeology and Editor-in-Chief of Ariel Publishing, offered a glimpse into Gabi’s final days of scholarship, speaking about his last work on the Song of Songs. He noted that Gabi was very particular about exactly how the text should be translated into English and expressed the hope that they will be able to complete this significant work posthumously. We also heard from Elad Barkay, Gabi’s son, who shared personal reflections on his father’s legacy.

The core of the evening focused on Gabi’s immense contribution to the understanding of the Bible and the Land of Israel. Zachi Dvira, Director of the Temple Mount Sifting Project, spoke on the theme ‘Man of Jerusalem, Man of Sherds and People – The Story of His Life.’ Tracing Gabi’s journey from childhood, Zachi painted a picture of a man who was far more than a dry academic; he was a visionary who understood that archaeology is ultimately about the human story. Distinguished scholars then delved into specific areas of Gabi’s research, with Prof. Aaron Demsky of the Israel Archaeological Foundation discussing the use of the Priestly Blessing in personal burial customs, and Prof. Israel Knohl analyzing the contribution of the Ketef Hinnom discovery to Torah documentary hypothesis research focusing on two phases of the priestly source. Additionally, Assaf Avraham presented “Anatomy of a Wall,” offering an engineering perspective on Iron Age II fortifications based on finds from the Trench Gabi’s excavation data at Lachish.

A panel discussion, moderated by Prof. Ronny Reich, titled “Friends Tell Stories about Gabi” provided further depth. Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin, President Emeritus at the Schechter Institutes, Inc., offered profound insight into Gabi’s genius, revealing that as a baby in the Budapest Ghetto in 1944, Gabi shared his crib with a hidden Torah scroll. Golinkin suggested that this early proximity might explain why Gabi grew up to be a man who knew the entire Bible by heart. He compared Gabi to the great sages, describing him as a rare combination of a “plastered cistern” that never lost a drop of knowledge and a “surging spring” of constant innovation. Golinkin also recounted the pivotal moment the Sifting Project was born, noting that when Zachi Dvira first showed Gabi artifacts from construction rubble, Gabi quoted Pirkei Avot: “In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man”. Rabbi Golinkin ended with a fitting quote from Shakespeare, “He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again“. See link below for a translation of his full text here.

Steve Adler, former President of the National Labor Court and a friend of 45 years, placed Gabi in the company of legal giants like Aharon Barak and Yitzhak Zamir. He spoke movingly about how their families became intertwined over decades, noting with pride that “our children have lit a bonfire of friendship” that continues the legacy. He recalled family hikes where Gabi was an inexhaustible well of knowledge, providing a biblical story or archaeological detail for every site they passed.

Throughout the tributes, a common theme emerged: in an era of niche specialization, Gabi was a rare polymath. Colleagues compared him to a “human AI” of archaeology and history, capable of recalling vast amounts of data across multiple disciplines. With over 200 publications to his name, Gabi possessed a photographic memory for details. He would often direct colleagues to a specific author, volume, and plate to find a parallel for an artifact. Yet his true talent lay in weaving these facts into a story; he was a master storyteller who could hold an audience captive. This natural ability to communicate history made him a sought-after expert for many documentaries, including The Naked Archaeologist, Lost Temple, Forbidden History, Living in the Time of Jesus, Bloodline, Unveiling Jerusalem, and Secrets.

In a particularly poignant tribute, Chaim Karel and Avner Goren shared memories of their very last joint trip with Gabi to Tel Lachish, a site of his major excavations. In a moment that captured this deep connection, Chaim Karel held up a stone he had retrieved from the debris at Ketef Hinnom—the site of Gabi’s most famous discovery. He marveled at how the stone had naturally fallen from the cliff face above Cave 24, resting precisely on the burial headrest (mishkavei harosh) as if waiting to be found. He shared his plan to affix this stone to Gabi’s headstone, noting that this site was truly the peak of Gabi’s archaeological work.

The panel also included Israel Caspi from the Public Committee to Prevent the Destruction of Antiquities on the Temple Mount, Michael Keren, a childhood friend. President Dr. Paul Wright from Jerusalem University College (JUC), and Dr. Andy Vaughn, CEO of ASOR sent fitting tribute videos (see links below). The evening concluded in the most fitting way possible for a man whose heart beat in rhythm with this city. The entire hall joined Shuli Natan in a powerful rendition of “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav” (Jerusalem of Gold).

While the shloshim marks the end of the initial mourning period, the work of Dr. Gabriel Barkay continues in the research we publish, the earth we sift, and the students he inspired. As Gabi himself often said, “The greatest discovery wasn’t a scroll or an artifact… it was the people.”

Yehi Zichro Baruch – May his memory be a blessing.

Links to some videos of the events:

A tribute to Gabriel Barkay by Prof. David Golinkin, President Emeritus at the Schechter Institutes, Inc.
https://tmsifting.org/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/GabyBarkayFebruary2026English.docx

A Tribute to Dr. Gabriel Barkay by Dr. Paul Wright, Former President of Jerusalem University College (JUC). From the 30-Day Memorial Ceremony (Shloshim) held at Yad Ben Zvi, Jerusalem, February 10, 2026.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRFD3uCNRQ8

A Tribute to Dr. Gabriel Barkay by Dr. Andrew Vaughn, Executive Director of ASOR. From the 30-Day Memorial Ceremony (Shloshim) held at Yad Ben Zvi, Jerusalem, February 10, 2026.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnZl0U3ht38

Singer Shuli Natan singing in tribute to Gabi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNOCPvjGxIg

02/02/2026

Planning on doing Sherut Leumi yourself, or know someone who's looking to join next year? come sign up at https://did.li/0N4Iw

19/01/2026

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/world/middleeast/gabriel-barkay-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.FFA.glly.UH97HKjy86Fs&smid=url-share&fbclid=IwZnRzaAPYrtdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEex2uFTEPnDyDsguQV5MJ8viHhzp5c0UjR0WY7NDeD5sQ8-FXB1AeR-Tfgd9M_aem_i9p-sb8J8RntdJXYBt4CiQ

One of Israel’s leading archaeologists, he found evidence that the writing of the Old Testament likely began much earlier than historians had thought.

14/01/2026

https://www.timesofisrael.com/archaeologist-gabriel-barkay-pioneer-of-temple-mount-research-dies-at-81/

Discoverer of the Ketef Hinnom scrolls and founder of Temple Mount Sifting Project was a larger-than-life figure who stirred controversy, loved Jerusalem and made the city his mission

12/01/2026

Gaby was a man of memory; fittingly, we buried him with memory. Into the soil of his grave, we integrated earth from the Temple Mount—earth with a grey texture due to the vast amounts of ash embedded within it, the result of the destruction of the Temple.

Below is an AI translation of the full eulogy I delivered today in his memory.
------------
Gaby – Dear Friend, Teacher, Father of Archaeology
I am grateful for the great privilege that fell to my lot to partner with you in this immense challenge: the rescue, exposure, research, and making accessible of the treasures of the Temple Mount to the general public. This partnership birthed a unique friendship. Despite the generation gap and the differences in character, we complemented one another - a completion that enabled the success of our joint efforts.

Being in your presence was, for me, a school for the history of Jerusalem. I was privileged to learn directly from a rare remnant of the "generation of giants." I learned from you not only how to look at artifacts rising from the earth, but how to listen to the story of the people who used and left them behind, and the story of those who discovered them.

For more than being a man of books or a man of objects - you were a man of people. For you, archaeological remains were never the main thing, but merely the means to open a window into the lives of the people who left them. This approach was clearly expressed in the Sifting Project, which is first and foremost a human project; a project of people taking responsibility for saving the heritage of the most holy and important site in the history of Israel, and in doing so, discovering something new and deep about themselves.

Gaby, you were a man of memory. You were gifted with a vast memory, and it was dear to your heart. After all, the archaeological act is an action of reviving the forgotten, reviving the story of the people whose remains we expose. Perhaps because of this, you were so drawn to the study of burial - you wanted to revive the dead, to touch them and their story directly. And perhaps this is the reason you were privileged to discover at Ketef Hinnom one of the most important finds ever in the archaeology of the Land of Israel: the silver amulet bearing the Priestly Blessing.

The Priestly Blessing is a blessing for the living, not for the dead. I do not know what those who buried the deceased with the amulet intended, but since we do not know of a similar find, it is possible that the goal of the "Minister of History" was different: to bless and revive specifically the souls of the living who would one day reveal the amulet. An amulet that would connect them back to their roots, and from the past to the future and to meaning—which is what sustains a person.

Anyone who was in your presence can testify to a special experience of exposure to inexhaustible knowledge. You were like an "ever-flowing spring." To drive with you through the streets of Jerusalem, when at every corner you point and tell who lived there and what happened there, is a privilege that only few have had. You were privileged to honor the memory of many, and therefore it is fitting that your memory also be honored. I appeal to the tour guides present here, who came to es**rt you on your final journey: If you pass with travelers on Azza (Gaza) Street in Jerusalem, near the home of "Bibiyahu the First" as Gaby put it, please tell them that the adjacent house was the home of the legendary archaeologist, Gabriel Barkay.

Dear Gaby, you have left a huge void, and I doubt anyone will be able to fill it. We will miss you greatly. We are sorrowful that you will not get to see the final publication of our joint work, the fruit of over twenty years of labor. I had an old hope, that the day would come when you would guide us through the ruins of Shushan the Capital (Susa), which you excavated in the 60s. Recent events hint that perhaps such a tour might be possible in the future, but unfortunately, we will not be able to do it with you.

We loved you very much. Forgive us for not being with you enough in your final days.

May the Place* whose soil we labored to cherish for over twenty years continue to comfort us among the mourners of Zion.

May the Lord bless us all and keep us in your name, and shine your memory upon us. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, wherever you are now, and may you rest in peace.

*Translator's note: In the penultimate paragraph, "The Place" (HaMakom) refers both to the physical site of the Temple Mount and is also a Jewish name for God used specifically when offering condolences.

11/01/2026

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of
Dr. Gabriel Barkay z”l, co-founder and director of the Temple Mount Sifting Project.

Among the last of a generation of giants in biblical archaeology, his immense knowledge illuminated and inspired countless people. A prolific scholar and beloved teacher, he helped uncover Jerusalem’s hidden treasures. He raised generations of students and shared his love of Jerusalem with many, in Israel and throughout the world.

Funeral Details:
Monday, January 12, 2026, 3:00 PM
Beit HaHespedim (Kehillat Yerushalayim), Har HaMenuchot, Jerusalem

May his memory be a blessing.

30/12/2025

Stone of the Siege: 10th of Tevet and the Defense of the Temple Mount

On this 10th of Tevet, a day marking the onset of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, we reflect on the transition of the Temple Mount from a sacred center to a besieged stronghold. A recent discovery from the Temple Mount Sifting Project, a small, meticulously rounded stone recovered by one of our frequent visitors, 12 year old Noam Spivak, provides a tangible entry point into the mechanics of warfare in antiquity.

Measuring 3 cm in diameter and weighing 20.38 grams, the artifact is a bit smaller than the "standard" 4–7 cm spherical flint and limestone projectiles frequently recovered from major destruction layers like those at Lachish. However, its morphology suggests it may have functioned as specialized sling ammunition. In ballistics, such lighter stones prioritize launch velocity and range over the sheer crushing force of heavier siege stones. In the hands of a trained slinger, a 20g projectile could achieve a release velocity exceeding 160 km/h (100 mph). While larger projectiles were capable of generating approximately 38 Joules of kinetic energy, sufficient for lethal blunt-force trauma, these lighter stones were likely utilized for high-velocity precision fire.

This slingstone joins a handful of other flint and limestone spherical stones found in the Sifting Project, usually larger in diameter than this one. The presence of such a projectile on the Temple Mount underscores the tactical nature of the Babylonian siege (or perhaps the Assyrian siege 115 years earlier). The sling was equally vital for the aggressor. As Babylonian forces advanced on the 10th of Tevet, their slingers would have used high-velocity stones like this to provide suppressive fire, clearing the Judean defenders from the parapets and gate towers so that siege ramps could be constructed.

The sling is often colloquially relegated to the status of a "shepherd’s weapon," yet the archaeological and textual records reveal a highly organized military application. The biblical account in Judges 20:16 describes an elite unit of 700 Benjamite slingers capable of slinging a stone at a large distance without missing, while 2 Chronicles 26:14 notes that King Uzziah’s state logistics specifically included the preparation of "stones for slinging" for the national armory.
Archaeologically, these projectiles are frequently misclassified in domestic contexts as hammerstones or weights. It is only through contextual analysis, identifying concentrations in defensive sectors or battle debris, that their martial function and date become clear. Due to this difficulty, and the mixed context of the finds sifted from the Temple Mount’s soil, we can only raise the possibility of this being a slingstone used in a siege of Jerusalem.

Whether launched by a Judean defender or a Assyrian, Babylonian or Roman attacker, Noam Spivak’s find bridges the gap between historical narratives and the material reality of the conflict that defined Jerusalem’s history. And on this special day, it may stand as a silent witness to the moment 2,600 years ago when the peaceful courtyards of the Temple Mount were first breached by the sounds and stones of war.