Ketef Hinnom

Welcome to Jerusalem, a city that stands as an eternal study in profound historical and geographical contrasts. You are standing at Ketef Hinnom, which translates to the Shoulder of Hinnom, a rocky knoll situated in the very…

As you begin your walk from the entrance plaza near the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, take a moment to orient yourself to the strategic and geographical significance of this precise location. We are standing high on the…

Moving deeper into the archaeological park, you will suddenly find yourself surrounded by a series of distinct, rectangular depressions cut directly into the pale limestone bedrock. You have now entered the heart of the ancient…

Step closer to the edge of what was once an enclosed burial room, designated by archaeologists as Chamber Twenty-Five. Look carefully at the raised stone platforms that line the walls of this excavated space. …

Direct your attention to the space beneath the burial benches, specifically focusing on the dark, lower repository pit of Tomb Twenty-Five. It was here, in the hot summer of nineteen seventy nine, that one of the most astonishing…

Stand before the excavated repository and try to visualize the chaotic, overwhelming scene that greeted the archaeological team once they carefully removed the false rock floor. As the team strung up a single, flickering electric…

While the physical site of the discovery remains here at Ketef Hinnom, the next chapter of this incredible story unfolded under the bright, sterile lights of modern conservation laboratories. As you look across the remaining…

We now arrive at the profound climax of the Ketef Hinnom excavations. What exactly was inscribed on those delicate silver surfaces? …

Walk slightly away from the ancient burial caves and position yourself to look down into the deep, sweeping ravine of the Hinnom Valley itself. While the ridge we stand upon is a place of sacred burial and ancient blessings, the…

As you follow the path curving around the ridge, shifting your gaze back toward the towering walls of the Old City, you are tracing the route of a remarkable piece of ancient engineering. The narrative of this valley is not…

As our journey through the Ketef Hinnom archaeological park comes to an end, take a final moment to sit on the sun warmed limestone benches overlooking the sweeping vistas of Jerusalem. We have walked through a landscape defined…