The utensil in this photograph was found whole in an archaeological excavation under the pavement of the Western Wall plaza, conducted in conjunction with the Israel Antiquities Authority Educational centers. The excavation is focused now on the later layers from the 18th – 20th centuries CE – the Ottoman and British Mandate periods and during the Jordanian rule of the Old City.
The Western Wall stone that had been on display at the Kirya (IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv) has been returned to the Western Wall.
Historic full circle: an ancient stone from the Western Wall, displayed for years in the IDF Headquarters compound, was returned this morning to its original
17 Iyar 5786
May 4, 2026
