Artifact
Pool of Siloam
c. 8 BC
Confirms a specific location mentioned in the Gospel of John, demonstrating that the author had accurate topographical knowledge of pre-destruction Jerusalem. The pool's large size and ritual function align perfectly with John's account of Jesus sending the blind man to wash there.
About this artifact
Accidentally discovered in June 2004 during sewage repair work in the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem, when workers uncovered ancient stone steps. Archaeologists Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron subsequently excavated a large, stepped pool dating to the late Second Temple period (1st century BC to 1st century AD), identified as the Pool of Siloam where Jesus healed the man born blind in John 9:7. The pool measured approximately 225 feet long with broad stone steps on three exposed sides, designed to accommodate large numbers of Jewish pilgrims performing ritual purification before ascending to the Temple. It was connected to Hezekiah's Tunnel and the Gihon Spring water system.
