In April 2019, a salvage excavation was conducted in the neighborhood of Umm Ṭuba in Jerusalem (Permit No. A-8498; map ref. 221687/626438; Fig. 1), prior to the construction of a playground. The excavation, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by the Jerusalem Municipality, was conducted by N. Rom, With the assistance of M. Samhouri (archaeological inspection), O. Rose (photogrammetry) and S. Halevi (field photography).
A round hewn cistern (Figs. 2–4) was exposed in an area were archaeological excavations had been conducted in the past (for background and references, see
Billig 2018). Three openings were identified in the cistern, two in its ceiling and one in its southern wall; all three were blocked with large fieldstones. Some water and contemporary refuse accumulated in the cistern, and contemporary cast concrete was found at the bottom of the cistern. The debris and the concrete indicate that the cistern was in use rather recently, although it may have been in use in ancient times as well.