Back to the Temple Mount and a group photo in front of the Dome of the Rock.

But first we had to get to the Temple Mount. Our ascent was delayed slightly by a confrontation. Apparently someone took offense to the impatient honking by the young man in the blue car. Then the blue car passenger got out and joined the discussion. Eventually they moved their discussion to the side of the road beyond the dumpster and we were able to continue without knowing the resolution of this dispute.

On foot, we ascended the Temple Mount via a serpentine wooden bridge.

While we waited we had a good view of the Western Wall below.

We couldn’t enter the Mughrabi Gate until the security was in place. The Mughrabi Gate is the only entrance that can be used by mon-Muslims.

As we entered the Temple Mount I noticed two young Muslim ladies in a deep and serious theological discussion.

Minutes later a group of Jewish visitors entered the Temple Mount, under the watchful eye of security.

Meanwhile the plaza in front of the Al Aqsa Mosque was being fogged.

Some of the people we saw as we walked around the Temple Mount.

The Dome of the Rock was built in 691 on what is believed to be the site of the first and second Jewish temples. It’s design actually reflects a typical construction of Byzantine churches that proliferated in the Holy Land in the centuries before the Muslim conquest.

The Eastern Gate, or the Golden Gate, which is closed because of the belief that the Messiah will enter through that gate.

More of the people that we saw as we walked around the Temple Mount and then exited back to the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem.

A father walking with his son, to school perhaps.

Moshe Kempinski, with his brother Dov, runs a shop call Shorashim (“Roots”) in the Jewish Quarter and generously gives his time to many Christian groups to explain Judaism.

While we waited for the rest of our group to come out of the Shorashim presentation some of us climbed the bell tower of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, which gave us a new perspective on the nearby Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Also a new perspective on colorful street vendors.

Then it was on to the Temple Mount Sifting Project at Emek Tzurim, for some hands-on archaeology. First we were briefed on what to look for and some of the findings.

Then the sifting began.

Our sifting turned up some bones and pottery and not much else.

Others in the group found more interesting pieces.

A few folks even found coins.

Final stop of the day was the Israel Museum, including the famous model of first century Jerusalem, that shows fairly accurately what the city looked like in the time of Jesus.

Anthropomorphic clay coffins that were used by the Philistines for their burials.

Idols

Another statue used for idol worship, reminiscent of the golden calf of Exodus.

The House of David inscription discovered at Tel Dan in 1993, one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the past three decades.

The silver amulet scrolls found at Ketef Hinnom (location near our hotel noted in the previous blog post), which contain the priestly blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26, the oldest biblical text found through archaeology.

The ossuary of the high priest Caiaphas.

Replica of an archaeological find, a nail in the heel bone of a crucified man.

As we left the Israel Museum we noted the distinctive architecture of the Shrine of the Book, where some of the Dead Sea Scrolls are on display.