In the era of Herod the Great (37-4 BC), the area of the present-day Jewish Quarter was part of a wealthy “Upper City” occupied for the most part by families of important Jewish priests.
The Wohl Archaeological Museum preserves the remains of six houses that would have had a spectacular view of the temple. These homes were destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
Burnt wood is from fire damage from the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
One house contained a stone weight with an inscription that bears the name “son of Kathros”. The family name is known from the Babylonian Talmud, written between the 3rd and 6th century AD, which describes the priestly Kathros family in unflattering terms.
Political/Cultural Significance
The museum is remarkable for its vivid evocations of everyday life 2,000 years ago.
All the houses include inner courtyards, ritual baths, and cisterns to collect rain.
