Archaeologists have discovered the site of an ancient palace in Jerusalem’s Old City, which could be the site of Jesus’ trial.
The researchers began excavating at a site beneath the floor of a building adjacent to the Tower of David Museum 15 years ago, with an aim to expand the popular tourist site.
Artefacts were quickly found from when the Ottoman Turks and then the British used the site as a prison during their rule of the city. However, as the archaeologists dug deeper they uncovered what they believed to be the remains of a palace, the site of Jesus’ trial depicted in the New Testament.
There is currently a debate amongst scholars as to the location of Jesus’ trial before Pontius Pilate, where he was sentenced to be crucified. The Antonia Fortress was identified by early pilgrims as the site of the “praetorium” and is the traditional site for the start of the “Via Dolorosa” or “Way of the Cross”, but more recent scholars have pointed to Herod’s Palace, which is believed to be have situated on the city’s western side, around the location of the recent excavations.
