Archaeologists Uncover Moat Dating Back to Reign of Biblical King Josiah

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israeli archaeologists excavating in Jerusalem’s City of David announced Sunday that they have uncovered a 3,000-year-old moat that dates back to the time when Jerusalem was the capital of the Kingdom of Judah under King Josiah, The Media Line reports. The discovery was made by researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University.

According to the researchers, the moat likely acted as a northern fortification line of the lower city, separating the king’s palace and residential areas in the south from the Temple Mount in the north, The Media Line reports.

“We know about ancient fortifications from the south, east, and west,” excavation director Yuval Gadot of Tel Aviv University told The Media Line. “But the north has always been an enigma.”

“Typically, when excavating, you assume you’ll eventually reach bedrock, which is where structures are built,” Gadot explained.

“The bedrock should appear higher on the summit and lower in the surrounding valley of the City of David. However, we never found the rock. So, we kept digging deeper and deeper and gradually realized we were working within a man-made gorge.”

“How could the city protect itself from the north, especially with the Temple Mount being higher than the ridge the city was built on? This has been a question everyone has asked for the past century while excavating Jerusalem. I believe we have resolved it by finding the moat,” Gadot said.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.


Latest News from Worthy News

UK Inquiry Alleges Predominantly Muslim Grooming Gangs Exploited Children for Decades as Authorities Failed to Act
UK Inquiry Alleges Predominantly Muslim Grooming Gangs Exploited Children for Decades as Authorities Failed to Act

A newly released report in the United Kingdom alleges that predominantly Muslim grooming gangs exploited vulnerable children across Britain for decades while police, social services, schools, health officials, licensing authorities, and political leaders repeatedly failed to intervene.

Trump Warns Iran It May ‘No Longer Exist’ After U.S. Strikes Missile, Drone Sites
Trump Warns Iran It May ‘No Longer Exist’ After U.S. Strikes Missile, Drone Sites

President Donald Trump warned Saturday that the United States may be forced to take far more sweeping military action against Iran after U.S. aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites, which he said were used in renewed violations of a ceasefire agreement.

Hamas Crushes Planned Gaza Protests Calling for End to Terror Group’s Rule
Hamas Crushes Planned Gaza Protests Calling for End to Terror Group’s Rule

Hamas moved aggressively Friday to suppress planned protests across the Gaza Strip, using arrests, intimidation, armed patrols, and threats of deadly punishment to prevent Gazans from publicly challenging the terror group’s rule.

Trump Threatens 100% Tariff Over European Digital Services Taxes
Trump Threatens 100% Tariff Over European Digital Services Taxes

President Donald Trump threatened Friday to impose a 100% tariff on any country that implements a digital services tax on U.S. technology companies, a move that could add to what analysts estimate is already a $700-per-household burden from existing tariffs.

Trump Declares America Will Remain ‘One Nation Under God,’ Warns Against ‘Godless Communists’
Trump Declares America Will Remain ‘One Nation Under God,’ Warns Against ‘Godless Communists’

President Donald Trump told Christian conservatives Friday that America’s future depends on preserving faith, freedom, and the nation’s founding convictions, declaring that the United States will always remain “one nation under God.”

US Strikes Iranian Targets After Shipping Attack Raises Ceasefire Fears
US Strikes Iranian Targets After Shipping Attack Raises Ceasefire Fears

U.S. forces struck Iranian missile and drone storage facilities overnight after President Donald J. Trump condemned what he called a “foolish” Iranian attack on a commercial cargo ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Venezuela Earthquake Mother Dies Saving Daughter As Death Toll Nears 1,000
Venezuela Earthquake Mother Dies Saving Daughter As Death Toll Nears 1,000

As the death toll from Venezuela’s devastating twin earthquakes approached 1,000 on Friday, stories of courage emerged from the rubble, including that of a young mother who sacrificed her own life to save her toddler daughter.