“In order to secure the opportunity to sift the dirt, Israeli archaeologists’ first task was moving the thousands of tons of earth from the Kidron Valley to the nearby Tzurim Valley National Park to place it under lock and key.”
Archaeologists have since been sifting through the soil to identify potential artefacts that could shed light on the ancient history of the Temple Mount.
Professor Meyer said: “From the First Temple period – 971BC to 586BC – there was found Judean pottery, figurines, stone weights, seals and even a Babylonian arrowhead dating to from the destruction of Jerusalem – 586BC.
“From the Second Temple period – 516BC to 70AD – archaeologists found pottery, architectural remains like pieces of a capital, a dozen pieces of tile that once lined the Second Temple floor built by Herod the Great, hundreds of coins, and weapons to name a few.
“Contrary to the ever-increasing popular belief, the Temple Mount sifting project has proved there is an incontrovertible connection to Hebrew history.”