Exploring Tel Aviv & Jerusalem Through Food

As I stand under the baking sun among the rubble of what used to be a parking lot opposite the City of David visitor centre,

- Lottie Gross 

I can just about piece together the evidence that’s laid out before me. The dusty, faded mosaics on the ground indicate a courtyard and I can see remnants of the stone pillars that once held up the walls of this near 2,000-year-old Roman villa.

The hairs on my arms stand on end as my guide, Yehuda, recounts tales of the intern archaeologist who discovered a hoard of over 200 gold coins here in 2008. A stash that was clearly left in a hurry before the Persians invaded, and whose owner never did return to collect them, their fate unknown.

The fate of Jerusalem back then, though, is not unknown. Thanks to the astonishing array of archaeological sites across the city you can literally see the history play out before you. It seems almost every new development that breaks ground finds something of importance.

The physical evidence of the many civilisations that tried, failed and succeeded in conquering Jerusalem is occasionally overwhelming for a visitor. Just over the road from where I’m standing are the uncovered remains of the City of David and possibly Israel’s most exciting discovery: King David’s palace, the one described in the Bible. In the distance I can see the Old City walls, dating back to the Ottoman era, and inside them lies the Temple Mount which was built by King Solomon in 957 BCE.

There are around 33 excavations across the city, each providing an insight into how Jerusalem changed with each occupation and battle, and how the different religions and cultures found their way here today.