The Temple Mount Sifting Project was born out of necessity in 1999, when large-scale, unsupervised construction on the Temple Mount led to the removal of tons of soil rich with archaeological significance. Realizing the magnitude of this historical event, archaeologists Dr. Gabriel Barkay and Zachi Dvira launched a pioneering effort to recover and analyze the displaced earth.
Over the years, their meticulous work has uncovered thousands of artifacts spanning 3,000 years—pottery fragments, ancient coins, inscriptions, and relics from the First and Second Temples—shedding light on Jerusalem's layered and complex history. Today, it remains the only authorized project dedicated to preserving and studying this irreplaceable heritage.