We present a novel underground imaging system that utilizes cosmic-ray muons to explore the subsurface environment at the City of David archaeological site in ancient Jerusalem. This report details the initial findings from measurements conducted at a large cistern, commonly called "Jeremiah's cistern" (referenced in Jeremiah 38:6). The system aims to locate and map hidden voids and structural anomalies within the overburden. Our primary outcome is the derivation of the angular ground depth, which serves as a proxy for understanding the integrated density distribution of the overburden. This work represents a significant interdisciplinary effort to deepen our understanding of this historically important site.
@article{arxiv.2504.03078,
title = {First Demonstration of Underground Muon Imaging at an Archaeological Site in Ancient Jerusalem},
author = {Yan Benhammou and Erez Etzion and Yuval Gadot and Gilad Mizrachi and Oded Lipschits and Yiftah Shalev and Yiftah Silver and Amir Weissbein and Igor Zolkin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2504.03078},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
A companion article has been published: Using muons to uncover ancient archaeology: https://doi.org/10.1063/10.0039226