The Aqueducts and Water Supply of Ancient Jerusalem

Jerusalem, a city held sacred by three of the world's great religions, is located in a semi-arid climate, and its occupation through the millennia has only been made possible by the construction of an extensive and ingenious water supply infrastructure. The settlement of Jerusalem was first made possible by water from the Gihon Spring. Over the centuries, the inhabitants of Jerusalem added several pools and reservoirs to collect and store water. Nearly all buildings, both private and public, also had extensive storage capacity in the form of cisterns. To support a burgeoning population and pilgrim growth during the late Second Temple Period, four aqueducts were constructed to bring additional water into Jerusalem. Much work remains to identify, date, classify, and restore the ancient water works of this great city.