Stone vessels were more abundant in the land of Israel [between the first century B.C.E and the first century C.E.] than in any other period of its history.

In December 1969 we started to dig in Area B of the Jewish Quarter excavations. The late Professor Nahman Avigad directed the excavations, and Ami Mazar, now Professor of Archaeology at the Hebrew University, was Area Supervisor. When Ami was called up for reserve army duty, I replaced him.

As the work advanced, we discovered that the building in Area B was destroyed in a violent fire. We soon named this building the “Burnt House.” The fire had caused the buildings walls to collapse, trapping under them everything that had been in the house. From the pottery vessels and coins found in the building (the latest of the coins were minted in the fourth year of the Jewish revolt against Rome, 69 C.E.), we concluded that the building, along with the entire city of Jerusalem, was destroyed in the year 70 C.E.

We were surprised to find in the “Burnt House” many stone objects stone tables (rectangular tables, resting on a single leg, and round tables, supported by three legs), stone containers, stoppers, trays, lids, sundials, mortars and pestles, and other objects that served purposes we still cannot determine. All of these objects were found in pieces, smashed by the falling walls. Everything was photographed and recorded as found and then moved to the laboratories of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Several years were spent in the restoratio

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