Temple Mount trumpeting stone illustration

During the New Testament era, a place for trumpeting was positioned at the southwestern corner of the Temple Mount retaining wall. Archaeologists discovered a stone with the inscription, "to the place of trumpeting" among the debris from the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. From this location, a trumpeter could give a blast that could be heard across Jerusalem. When lambs were sacrificed each morning and evening for the sins of the nation, it is believed that a trumpet blast was sounded across the small city. Jesus and others at the cross would have been able to hear that blast, giving three of the gospel writers a time reference for when Jesus died.

We do not know if such a place existed on the original Temple Mount built by Solomon. However, it stands to reason that when Herod the Great doubled the size of the Temple Mount platform, he incorporated existing traditions into his building plans.

This video was originally part of our Gospel of Mark reading plan on the YouVersion Bible app. More background can be discovered in Episode 45, on Day 46 of the reading plan.