Courtyard Near Nea Church GPR Study - 2010 GPR Study

The Nea Church, once known as the New Church of Mother of God, is shown in the ancient Madaba Map (see Item 12). Full of ancient stories and myths, it is a partially excavated area in the Old City of Jerusalem. Last summer in 2010 we did a GPR study of the courtyard in front of the area of the Nea Church apse.

Led by Dr. Jessie Pincus of Texas A&M, our survey team acquired GPR data in a high resolution survey in a criss-crossed direction which was compiled into a 3D cube, in June 2010. Here is a first look sub-surface GPR view at several meters beneath the surface, under the courtyard facing the excavated area known to be the Nea Church. Post-processing analysis will reveal an explanation of the anomalies that can be seen, which will be elsewhere published.

First Look GPR View of Courtyard near Nea Church

All photos and GPR images shown above are not to be reproduced without permission
Copyright © 2010-2011 Dr. Jessie A. Pincus and Mnemotrix Systems, Inc.
All International Rights Reserved

Historical Significance

The Temple treasures portrayed on the Arch of Titus may have ended up stored in the Nea Church by Justinian. Built in 82 AD in Rome, the Arch of Titus commemorates Titus' victory over the Jews and the end of the 66-70 AD Jewish revolt. The modern importance of this arch is in the engraving found on the inside which shows the Temple treasures being carried into Rome by Roman soldiers after their destruction of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The image clearly shows the golden Table of Showbread, the golden Menorah, and the trumpets used by the priests. But the temple treasures are no longer in Rome, and scholars suggest some were sent to, and may yet remain, in the still-to-be-fully-excavated Nea Church in the Old City of Jerusalem.