The Herodian Mamilla Pool

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The previous post talked about the ancient Lower Aqueduct system.
Today let's look at a huge reservoir that received the water that flowed through the Upper Aqueduct.
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In April I was so surprised to see some water in Mamilla Pool!
Our heavy rains of February must have produced this rare phenomenon.
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And what's more, a group of kids was wading around, searching the water!
Their teacher was there too. Maybe looking for tadpoles?
Please enlarge the photo; you will enjoy it!
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Normally it looks like this, dry as a bone.

Mamilla Pool is one of three reservoirs constructed by Herod the Great during the 1st century BCE.
Water passed slightly downward, through a channel 750 meters long, from the pool to another reservoir inside the Jaffa Gate.

Mamilla Pool still served as a municipal reservoir during the British Mandate period.
It can store 32,000 cubic meters of water.
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When the British left, in 1948, and the War of Independence broke out, the Jewish inhabitants had to use this water while the city was under siege. The Arabs had cut off Jerusalem's normal water supply.
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Photo from Wikipedia

This photo, probably from 1854, shows the pool with water, the city wall of the Old City, and the Jaffa Gate before a breach was made in the wall for Kaiser Wilhelm's entry.
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Strange to see no buildings in the area.
The pool is in the middle of the Mamilla Muslim cemetery, which was in use from the 7th century until 1927.
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Independence Park is just across the street.
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