Hezekiahs Tunnel Inscription, also called the Siloam Inscription. Resin cast recreation. About 26 1/2 inches by 12 inches. In 701BC Senacherib, King of Assyria had attacked the northern cities of Israel and Judah and was on his way to Jerusalem. King Hezekiah needed to secure the walls of the city and ensure adequate supplies of food and water. Outside the city walls lay the Gihon spring, a ready supply of water, but if he could both hide the spring from the Assyrians and somehow access these waters he could secure the city. He sent his men to extend the walls to enclose the spring from view of the Assyrians and had two teams tunnel from opposite directions, following natural clefts in the rock to produce a winding tunnel that would bring the waters from without to the Pool of Siloam within. The project was successful and ensured the security of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Senacherib failed to encroach on Jerusalem and went home defeated and empty handed. The Inscription was carved on the wall of the tunnel 20 feet from the southern end. It records the efforts of the tunnels and how they managed to join the tunnel from both ends.