Archaeologists in Israel have made a remarkable discovery at Mount Hotzvim, located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. They say that the stones underfoot are what paved streets where Jesus would once have trodden.

 This particular excavation by the Israel Antiquities Authority is 3,500 square meters, which represents only a fraction of a much larger quarry site that has its origins in the Second Temple period.

Some of the new discoveries include dozens of building stones at different points and in various sizes, paths from that time period and ancient tools. The stones are huge, measuring over 8 feet long by almost 4 wide and nearly a foot thick at latest estimate, providing valuable information about ancient building techniques. 

Michael Tchernin and Lara Shilov, Israel Antiquities Authority Excavation Directors at the site, said: “The weight of any such hewn block was about 2.5 tons! The impressive size of the stones that were carved from here in the quarry may indicate that they were intended to serve as building stones in one of the many state construction factories that were carried out in Jerusalem at the end of the Second Temple period.”

Also that these stones could have been taken to pave the streets in Jerusalem at this time. The find is especially an important spur in another excavation of the City of David known as “Pilgrim’s Road,” a paved street. 

“It brings the Bible back to life,” David Friedman, the former US ambassador to Israel, told Fox News.

Other than the stones, a stone tool more than 2,000 years old was also discovered. 

“This is a pure stone tool that was used by the Jewish community during the Second Temple period … It may have been locally designed, in the quarry grounds, or it was specially brought to the site to be used by the quarrymen,” Shilav said in the release.

The Israel Antiquities Authority said it was in talks with developers to incorporate the site into a commercial center that is set for construction at the location and intends on opening up access for public viewing. The tools found will be showcased at the National Archeology Campus in Jerusalem.

The Second Temple era (349 BCE — 70 CE) much like the future promised land of Israel was under investor rule, first it was Persians, then Greeks and Romans. One of other sites from this crucial period in Jewish history is being excavated right now at Mt. Hotzvim.