Israeli archaeologist Vered Barzel inspects stone vessels from about 2,000 years ago which were foun..,...

Israeli archaeologist Vered Barzel inspects stone vessels from about 2,000 years ago which were found deep in a newly-discovered cave in an East Jerusalem hillside June 24. The cave, about a quarter of an acre in area and in many places filled with ancient rubble to within one meter (3 feet) of the ceiling, is the largest workshop ever found for the manufacture of ritual vessels in the Jewish Second Temple period which ended in 70 A.D. The stone quarried from the walls of the cave was used to produce various stone dishes for ritual purposes such as cups, plates and bowls as Jewish dietery law deems ceramic vessels impure.