The Gihon Spring

In a land as dry as the Land of Israel, the main consideration in determining the location of a city or village, is its proximity to the nearest water source. The only permanent water source of ancient Jerusalem was the Gihon Spring. Its name is derived from the fact that it doesn't flow steadily, but rather in random eruptions with lapses in between them (Giha in Hebrew means eruption). The Gihon Spring is located in a cave on the eastern side of the City of David. To provide access to the water during times of siege, shafts were hewn through the rocky hillside of David's City from inside the city's walls. Warren's Shaft is such a shaft. [Archaeology] [Images of selected sites in Jerusalem]

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