The Ophel Excavations, 1986

Like grandfather, like granddaughter. Author-archaeologist Eilat Mazar continues the work of her distinguished grandfather, Hebrew University professor Benjamin Mazar, who excavated a building (C on the plan) that he thought was part of an independent public building—perhaps the Beth Millo where King Joash was slain (2 Kings 12:21). She expanded his earlier excavation in the northern part of the Ophel, near the Temple Mount’s southern wall. Here she uncovered Building D, a royal storage building, in which they are sitting in this photo. She also deduced from the plans of Building C that it was probably the gatehouse known as the “Water Gate,” which gave access to the “upper house of the king,” as described in Nehemiah 3:25–26.