The Burnt House
The Burnt House, an interactive archeological museum
built around the ruins of a Second Temple residence,
provides visitors with a fascinating look at life
in Jerusalem during the Second Temple period. The
museum is called the Burnt House because the remains
found at the site were damaged when Romans destroyed
the Temple in 70 CE, and the site is the first evidence
found of the total destruction of the city by the
Romans.
The area where the house is located was called the
Upper City during the Second Temple period. The Upper
City was known as a wealthy neighborhood that was
destroyed by the Romans during the destruction of
the second temple. The Upper City resisted for another
month after the destruction of the temple, but was
finally captured.
It is assumed that the house belonged to the Bar
Kathras family, due to a small stone weight that was
uncovered amongst the archeological ruins of the house,
bearing the inscription "[belonging to the] son
of Kathras.” The Bar Kathras were a wealthy
priestly family who made incense for the temple services,
and were not well liked, as is indicated in the following
passage found in the Talmud:
"Woe is me because of the House of Boethus,
Woe is me because of their slaves.
Woe is me because of the House of Hanan,
Woe is me because of their incantations.
Woe is me because of the House
of Kathras,
Woe is me because of their pens.
Woe is me because of the House of Ismael, son
of Piabi,
Woe is me because of their fists.
For they are High Priests and their sons are treasurers,
and their servants beat the people with staves."
(Pesahim 57:a = Tosefta Minhot 13:21
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The house is a large complex, part of which could
not be excavated and today lies under buildings of
the Jewish Quarter. Many small tools and vessels were
found in the building and hence, some think the structure
held the family incense factory. The ground floor
of the Burnt House was uncovered and includes a small
courtyard, four rooms, a kitchen, and a ritual bath.
The walls of the house, built of stones and cement
and covered with a thick white plaster, were preserved
to a height of approximately one meter. The floors
of the rooms are made of beaten earth, and the sunken
bases of round ovens made of brown clay were found
in the floor, indicating that perhaps this wing of
the house was used as a workshop.
The Burnt House was found buried under a thick layer
of destruction. Throughout the house, scattered in
disarray among the collapsed walls, ceilings and the
second story, were fragments of stone tables and many
ceramic, stone and metal vessels, evidence of pillaging
by the Roman soldiers. Leaning against a corner of
one of the rooms was an iron spear, which apparently
belonged to one of the Jewish fighters who lived here.
Historian, Josephus Flavius, writes how the Romans
"poured into the streets sword in hand, cutting
down without mercy all who came within reach, and
burned the houses of any who took refuge indoors,
occupants and all.” Remnants of such destruction
can be found throughout the Burnt House. The house
is filled with debris, charred wooden beams, and fallen
stones scorched by fire. The most dramatic part of
the ruins, found near a stairwell among the ashes,
is an arm and hand bones of a 17-year-old girl, who
evidently died when the Romans set her house on fire.
The date of the fire was confirmed by the discovery
of a coin dated 69 C.E. No other physical remains
from the Jerusalem population have ever been discovered
from this period. The Burnt House is a fascinating
museum dedicated to an ancient way of life and is
also a somber reminder of the terrible lot of Jerusalem's
Jews after the destruction of the second Temple.
Address: 2 Hakaraim Street, Jerusalem
Tel: 02-628-7211
Opening Hours: Sunday, 10am-5pm; Monday - Thursday,
9am-5pm; Friday, 9am-1pm
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