Hidden Stone Quarries Discovered Beneath Jerusalem’s Streets

Archaeologists have uncovered nearly 40 ancient stone quarries hidden beneath the surface of modern-day Jerusalem, offering a rare look at how builders in the distant past shaped the stone that still defines the city’s appearance today.

These findings, recently detailed in the journal Heritage, come from a review of over 100 archaeological reports compiled by the Israel Antiquities Authority. The study looked at excavation records from 2012 through mid-2024, focusing on locations investigated before new buildings and infrastructure projects were launched.

Researchers discovered 39 distinct quarry sites scattered across the city. Many were found during routine salvage excavations — digs that happen when new construction is about to begin. These excavations often bring to light layers of history hidden just below the surface.

The study was led by Adi Sela Wiener, an archaeologist connected to both Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem and Sapienza University of Rome. She collaborated with Italian researchers Laura Medeghini and Gabriele Favero. The team used open-access excavation records to build a digital map, highlighting where quarrying likely took place and showing how ancient builders identified, cut, and transported stone.

Northern Jerusalem reveals largest quarry sites

The team’s research shows that most of the larger quarries were located in northern parts of the city. Out of the 39 sites, 14 were clustered in this region. These quarries were carved into hard limestone known for its strength and durability — a rock that helped shape many of Jerusalem’s earliest buildings.

The researchers described how ancient workers followed a step-by-step approach: They searched for suitable rock, marked it for cutting, separated large blocks, and moved the stone to nearby building areas. Evidence such as tool marks, unfinished stone blocks, and cut channels were found in nearly all the quarries studied.

At about 69% of the sites, partially detached stone blocks remained connected to the bedrock — a sign that the quarrying work was halted before completion. The sizes of the stones varied, pointing to different construction needs, from paving streets to building walls and temples.

Quarries span thousands of years of Jerusalem’s history

Although exact dating is difficult, researchers were able to estimate time periods for 80% of the sites. The quarries appear to have been used across many centuries, beginning in the Iron Age and continuing through the Second Temple period, Roman and Byzantine times, and even into the early years of Islamic rule.

Some sites were active across multiple time periods, showing how quarrying continued to be an important part of Jerusalem’s development over time.

Interestingly, the study also notes that traditional stone names such as mizzi hilu and meleke — still used by modern masons — were likely known to ancient builders as well. These names refer to different qualities of limestone, and the fact that they have survived for so long speaks to the lasting importance of stonework in the region.

The researchers recommend that future digs include more detailed information on soil layers, stone samples, and mapping. These steps could help link quarry sites to ancient roads and building plans, offering better insight into how Jerusalem was shaped over the centuries.