Description
The so-called Burnt House was one of many in the Upper City of Jerusalem that was set ablaze by the Romans once victory was theirs in 70 A.D. The Jewish historian Josephus describes (War 6:403-407) the final torching of the city one month after the Temple was destroyed. The excavated remains of this house consisted of a kitchen, a mikveh and four rooms built around a courtyard with a stone pavement. As this was the lower part of the building, we have reconstructed a second story where the living quarters would have been located. The burnt remains of a skeletal arm and hand of a young woman, who had unsuccessfully attempted to flee, were found in the excavations. A stone weight inscribed “(belonging) to the son of Kathros” points to a connection with one of the high priestly families, the family of Kathros.
