"Scholars have said that there wasn't a
Pool of
Siloam. Now we have found the Pool of Siloam exactly
where John said it
was." (T H Maugh quoting New Testament
scholar J H
Charlesworth, 2005)
The Pool of Siloam was a 60-metre-long freshwater reservoir where ancient Jewish pilgrims gathered for ritual immersion in Jerusalem. It also was where Jesus told a blind man to wash to be cured. (John 9:6, 7, 11)
The remains of Siloam Pool were discovered by workers repairing a sewage pipe in the Arab neighbourhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem and excavated by archaeologists Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron in 2004 and 2005.
The stone-lined pool was fed by water from Hezekiah's Tunnel (Investigator 97) and had stone steps leading down on all sides.
The archaeologists also uncovered part of a stone road connecting the Pool to the Jewish Temple and also pottery shards and a dozen first-century coins. Ancient Jewish pilgrims used to immerse themselves in the Pool before going along the road to the Temple.
Siloam Pool was completed about 50 BC and used until AD 70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem.
It's situated about 200 metres from another Pool of Siloam built in the 5th century AD by the Empress Eudocia of Byzantium.
References:
Bolen, T
www.bibleplaces.com/poolofsiloam.htm
Frayer, K
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6750670
Maugh II, T H
www.post-gazette.com/pg/05221/550792.stm