The Mysterious Hand Engraved on Stone Walls of an Ancient Moat, Built in the 10th Century, Discovered by Experts.
Experts have uncovered a hand engraving on the stone walls of a 10-meter-wide moat constructed in the 10th century as a defense against enemies. This hand image may serve as a significant historical artifact.
Archaeologists have discovered a mysterious handprint carved into the walls of a moat in the Old City of Jerusalem, as reported by Live Science on January 26. Specifically, during an archaeological survey prior to a major infrastructure project, they excavated a moat running beneath a busy street. It is likely that this moat was dug by Muslims around the 10th century to help protect the city, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).
The purpose of the hand carved into the stone wall of the ancient moat remains a mystery. (Photo: Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority).
The moat, carved from stone, is at least 10 meters wide and 2 to 7 meters deep. Its function was to prevent enemies from approaching the walls of Jerusalem and infiltrating the city. However, archaeologists are still unclear about the purpose of the engraved handprint on the wall.
Typically, moats are filled with water, as seen in the moats surrounding castles in Europe. However, the newly excavated moat was left dry, with the hope that its massive size would pose a significant obstacle to enemies, according to Amit Re’em, an archaeologist at the IAA and a member of the excavation team.
According to historians of the time, this large moat helped deter invading forces, such as the Crusaders—who besieged and attacked the city during the Siege of Jerusalem in 1099. Ultimately, however, the Crusaders were successful in breaching the city.
“Exhausted from their journey, the Crusaders faced the enormous moat. After five weeks, they crossed it by employing various tactics, paying a heavy price in blood, under the intense fire from the defending Muslim and Jewish forces,” Re’em stated.
The Handprint is the most intriguing element discovered by the expert team, but its symbolic meaning remains unclear. The handprint may have been carved by a Muslim or Jewish defender of the city or could belong to invading European soldiers.
However, it is also possible that this intricately carved hand does not symbolize anything specific and is merely a prank. The research team noted that the meaning of the mysterious handprint might be revealed after further studies on the completed dry moat.
