Temple of Melchizedek Model Archaeologist Eli Shukron with Roni Reich have been excavating in the City of David on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. In 2010 Eli found an unusual structure just above a rock cut pool near the Gihon Spring (Area C). There was a staircase leading to a flat rock surface with four parallel rooms. Eli thinks this is the Temple of Melchizedek. On the far right is the first room that has a small olive press (220 by 155 cm), probably for making sacred oil for temple use, and not big enough for domestic use. There is a small store room behind the olive press where many broken jars were found on the floor. The potsherds date to the 18th century BC (Middle Bronze Age IIB) the same time as the pool and fortification towers above the Gihon spring. This corresponds to the time of Melchizedek and Abraham. The latest potsherd dated to the 8th century when the Temple was buried because of Hezekiah’s reforms. The second room to the left of the olive press, is the Altar room. In the back on the right is a hewn square platform 145 by 100 cm that probably was used for an altar with a small drainage ditch to carry the blood away which may have been collected in a bowl. In the third room in the back right is a matzevah, a sacred pillar shaped somewhat like a tombstone. The matzevah is a single slab of rock measuring 85 cm long, 55cm tall, and five cm thick. It is supported by rocks all around the base. There are no images on the rock. Eli thinks this is similar to the matzevah that Jacob set up at Bethel in Genesis 28:16-18 where God abode and a tithe set aside. In Genesis 14:18-20 Abraham gives a tithe to Melchizedek, king of Salem (Jerusalem). It seems that Melchizedek served as a permanent priest to the God Most High. Note the entrance is to the east. The fourth room to the left of the matzevah, is a grain press with strange carved markings on the floor. Some think they were for racks for the skinning of the animals for sacrifice. There is also a cave at the back where a complete set of vessels was found. This is a resin cast model that is 11 inches long by 7 inches wide by 6 inches tall. It comes with a small model of the priest, and an information sheet.