PEOPLE PRAYING AT WALL; EXCAVATION WORK; STONE BALL.




Initials JP/VS/CCT/MM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: EXCAVATION WORK ON THE LOWER TIERS OF THE WAILING WALL IN JERUSALEM HAS BEGUN. ISRAELI WORKMEN ARE SINKING EXPLORATORY CHANNELS AND ARCHAEOLOGISTS WILL EXAMINE THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE SOON TO DECIDE HOW FAR WORK WILL PROGRESS.

FIVE CHANNELS, EACH THREE FEET (1 METRE) DEEP ARE BEING DUG, BUT THE MAIN PART OF THE WAILING WALL HAS BEEN LEFT UNTOUCHED FOR PRAYERS. THE WAILING WALL IS THE MOST SACRED SHRINE IN THE WORLD FOR JEWS AND HAD BEEN A PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE FOR CENTURIES UNTIL 1948, WHEN JEWS WERE BARRED FROM JORDAN. IT IS NOW UNDER ISRAELI CONTROL. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE WALL GOES DOWN TWENTY TIERS BELOW THE SURFACE BUT IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE DIGGING WON'T GO THIS DEEP. THE STRUCTURE IS THOUGHT TO BE THE WESTERN WALL OF THE COURT OF THE SECOND TEMPLE OF KING SOLOMON. THE FIVE LOWEST TIERS OF TEN FOOT (3 METRE) STONES NOW ABOVE THE SURFACE ARE SAID TO DATE FROM THE TEMPLE BUILT BY HEROD THE GREAT.

THE TOP STONES WERE LAID IN THE LAST CENTURY BY SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE, A BRITISH JEW, TO PRESERVE THE STRUCTURE. SOME OF THE LOWEST TIERS, BURIED UNDER CENTURIES OF DEBRIS AND SOIL, MAY DATE BACK TO THE FIRST TEMPLE BUILT BY KING SOLOMON AND DESTROYED BY THE BABYLONIANS.