Join The Temple Mount Sifting Project & Reveal Jerusalem’s Buried Secrets
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Photo: Courtesy of the Dirt Filter Project from the Temple Mount
Dates & Times
Have you ever discovered an item from ancient Jerusalem? Don’t miss the opportunity to take part in some real archaeological work.
The Temple Mount Sifting Project is a unique initiative, accessible to the entire public. Get your hands a little wet and touch real treasures from the First and Second Temple periods and later; retrieve artifacts that shed light on the old ways of life.
This great project became possible due to an unfortunate event. Vast heaps of soil, laden with uncountable archaeological artifacts, were illegally dug-up and removed from the Temple Mount compound. The Temple Mount has never been accessible to archaeological excavations, but these soil heaps have given us a rare and unique opportunity to reveal archaeological artifacts buried in the Temple Mount’s soil. A creative solution was devised to recover the hidden treasures from this massive amount of soil: the project developed a wet sifting technique that allows residents and guests of Jerusalem to take part in the rescue and discovery of ancient artifacts and connect to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount’s heritage.
More than 200,000 people have already taken part in sifting the ancient soil, making this the most publicly-engaged archaeological project in the world. To date, thousands of artifacts have been extracted from within the soil, including coins, tiles from the Temple’s floors, ancient weapons, signets and more.
You too can find pieces of history and contribute to their preservation for future generations! Every special find is recorded along with the name of its finder. Visitors who’ve found very rare finds have been publicized in the media world-wide. Excited? Join us, and who knows what you will find!
“For your servants have cherished her stones, and have redeemed her dust” (Psalms 102: 14-15)
Dates & Times
Getting There
Arriving by car
Paid parking – at the Hebrew University parking lot. Type into WAZE: “HaMasu’ot Lookout – parking” (WAZE link). After you park, cross the road towards the sifting site that is outlined by the fence. You’ll see brown-colored signposts pointing toward the observatory.
Free parking – on “Hadassa Lempel Str” (WAZE link). Park at the beginning of the street and continue on foot (1-minute walk), at the intersection of the road, turn right and on the next one – turn right again and enter the compound.
*Please note – be careful not to go down towards Emek Tzurim National Park mistakenly.
-It’s prohibited to drive directly away from the sifting site to the parking on Hadassa Lempel street.
Read MoreArriving by public transportation
The site is located in a short walking distance from the following bus stops:
Line 48A – “School of Education / Buber” bus stop (2-minutes walk to the sifting site).
Line 48 – “House Of Light / Lempel” station.
Line 84 – “Mount Scopus tunnel Road / Martin Buber” station.