Ancient Pagan Temple Linked To Jesus' Ancestors Found Under Jerusalem

An ancient pagan worship place, allegedly sealed by ancestors of Jesus Christ has been discovered in the heart of Jerusalem after remaining preserved for nearly 3,000 years, according to a report in the New York Post. The religious shrine is carved into the rock near Temple Mount and is made up of eight rooms with an altar, a sacred standing stone (massebah) and presses for olive oil and wine.

Dating to the First Temple period, the structure was revealed during excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in the City of David, with the findings published in the scientific journal, Atiqot.

As per archaeologists, the complex was likely constructed in the Middle Bronze Age, with its final stage in Iron Age IIB. The shrine's destruction might have been mentioned in the Bible in the description of how Hezekiah, an ancestor of Jesus, smashed idolatrous places of worship.

"According to the Bible, Hezekiah sought to centralise worship at the temple in Jerusalem, abolishing the ritual sites scattered across the kingdom. The Bible describes how, during the First Temple period, additional ritual sites operated outside the temple," said Eli Shukron, excavation director for IAA.

"It says two kings of Judah - Hezekiah and Josiah, implemented reforms to eliminate these sites and concentrate worship at the temple."

Both Hezekiah and Josiah are identified as paternal grandfathers of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

'Rituals were performed'

One room's floor displayed mysterious V-shaped carving marks, the purpose of which remains unclear. According to Mr Shukron, these carvings may have served as a base for a tripod - an installation with three legs used for ritual activities.

"In light of the significant amount of evidence of worship in the limited area of the rockcut rooms, we suggest that this area was used in the Iron Age for ritual activity, perhaps a temple," the researchers said.

The report added that the agricultural installations recorded in the various rooms were apparently used for the benefit of the massebah (a sacred standing stone that was used in ancient cultures as a representation of a god) worship.

Notably, the complex went out of use in the mid-eighth century BCE in an "organised and orderly manner, while preserving and protecting the important ritual items in the complex".