Archaeologists standing in a Roman repository in Jerusalem | Photo: Assaf Peretz / Israel Antiquity Authority
Israeli archaeologists say they found the earliest pit where rubbish was collected. The garbage heap is said to be 2,000 years old and dates back to Roman times.
It is located on a slope in the Kidron Valley, just outside the city walls of Jerusalem. Coins and pottery pieces show that the garbage dump was used for seven decades – from the beginning of the 1st century CE until the Jewish War (66-73 CE).
The trench was discovered in 2013-2014 and according to current calculations, it is about 70 meters high. Scientists believe that the garbage dump is a joint innovation of the effective Romans and the cleanliness of the Jews.
Sources
- Ariel David, Ancient Romans, Jews Invented Trash Collection, Archaeology of Jerusalem Hints, "Haaretz", 29.06.2016
