| Jerusalem |
| The Western Wall Tunnels, The Hasmonean Room |
| Conservation Treatment of the Hasmonean Room |
| Orderer | The Western Wall Heritage Foundation |
| Duration | March 2006-January 2007 |
| Implemented by: |
Evgeny Ivanovsky
Aliza Van Zaiden
Tsagai Asma'in
Eng. Yossi Gordon
Eng. Ofer Cohen
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The treatment of the Hasmonean Room was implemented as part of the conservation measures that are being undertaken in the Western Wall tunnels. East of the room is a group of ritual baths (miqve’ot); west of it is a series of cavities, some of which are rock-hewn; and north of the room is the Room of Yearning, which is currently used by the Chain of the Generations Center.
The Hasmonean Room dates to the Herodian period (the time of the Second Temple). It is decorated with pilasters and cornices and is entered from the east by way of a double doorway. This room underwent changes in later periods; it seems the original space was covered by cedar beams. The ancient vault was built of carefully dressed ashlar stones, probably during the Umayyad period (638-661CE). Part of the vault was destroyed by the earthquake that struck in 749 CE, at which time the southern lintel in the double entrance was also damaged. An additional vault, which was not nearly as well constructed, was built to support the destroyed vault. In the Ottoman period supporting arches were erected in the area of the seam between the vaults. Over time these arches have collapsed; however, their remains can still be identified today by the stones that secure the room’s ceiling by means of metal strips.
The room is 4 x 8 m and the vault has a span of 4 m. The walls are built of MLEKA ashlar stones that measure c. 1.5 x 2.0 m. The lintels of the double entrance are borne atop three doorjambs. Each lintel weighs c. 3 tons; hence the northern doorjamb is carrying a total load of c. 12 tons. This data formed the basis of the conservation measures that were intended to release the northern doorjamb from the later support. The measure that was selected by the engineers entailed securing the stone lintel to the vault.
The Hasmonean Room probably served as an entry foyer to the ritual baths that were recently exposed. The purpose of the double doorway was to ensure the separation of that which was considered pure from the unclean. Today the room is used as a conference room by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
In 1993 the Conservation Department of the Antiquities Authority carried out conservation measures in order to preserve the walls of the vaulted cavity. The ancient vault was found to be stable, but weathering was detected in it, particularly in the springing and the three courses above it. As a result of the earthquake a complicated situation was created in the southwestern part of the vault whereby the stone lintel cracked; the northern doorjamb shifted to the west and the support of the ashlar stones was borne on the northern doorjamb. The seam between the ancient construction and the later addition is unstable and therefore a system of supporting arches was built in the Ottoman period. The flow of water and sewage above the vault has washed away the bonding material and created numerous cavities in the core of the vault.
The Conservation Measures that were taken at the Site Included:
1. Pointing up the joints in the western and eastern walls.
2. Filling in the cracks in the masonry stones of the western and eastern walls.
3. Reinforcing the debesh construction in the northern wall.
4. Pointing up the joints in the vault.
5. Filling in the cracks in the masonry stones of the vault.
6. The conservation of the masonry stones by means of inserting fiberglass rods into the vault stones.
7. Structurally reinforcing the northern lintel stone by means of six anchors.
8. Dismantling the ashlar stone support that was built next to the northern doorjamb.
9. Dismantling the blockage in the southern opening.
10. The conservation of the northern lintel stone.
11. Grouting the voids in the vicinity of the northern lintel stone.
Further Treatment at the Site
The conservation measures of the vault in the Hasmonean Room have not yet been completed. The remains of the Ottoman arch still have to be reinforced and the vault’s ceiling needs to be sealed (following the planned excavation in the Secret Passage). It is recommended that conservation maintenance be carried out annually. The necessary infrastructure work should also be implemented, such as relocating the lighting and communication infrastructure, under the guidance of a conservator to ensure that no damage is done to the original stones.
To view the figures, click on the figure caption
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