An Israeli archaeologist has charged that Muslim authorities are excavating a disputed holy site in Jerusalem in a way that endangers the remains of the Second Temple.

An Israeli photographer took photographs that were released yesterday that show stone blocks with a unique design linked to the Second Temple, which was destroyed in 70 C.E. Hebrew University archaeologist Eilat Mazar charged that the presence of the blocks in the middle of a Muslim construction project shows that the Waqf, the Islamic Trust, is ignoring the site´s importance in Jewish history.

The pictures were taken two weeks ago by Yossi Milshtin, an Israeli journalist who sneaked into the site masquerading as a Palestinian. Jews are banned from visiting the Muslim shrines.

Milshtin said he had been alerted by Mazar about the presence of the stone blocks, and took a camera and video recorder with him to record their images.

Mazar said the images showed large stones endowed with architectural elements unique to the Second Temple period. "[They show] beautiful grapevines," she said.

"There is no doubt that these are motifs from the Second Temple period. It is the different elements of the decoration that show this, combined with the style of the artistic work."

Mazar, a member of the Committee for the Preservation of Antiquities on the Temple Mount, said the stones had been revealed by excavation work the Waqf is carrying out to build a new mosque at the Temple Mount compound.

"There is no archaeological supervision [of the work] and no plan or survey to see what the real condition of the Temple Mount is", she said. "The Temple Mount is neglected, and it´s just a matter of time before it collapses," she warned.

New mosque

Archaeologist Avner Goren complained that the Waqf is building a new mosque on the site, and may be wrecking chances to learn exactly what the Temple Mount looked like.

"The work includes digging without any archaeological supervision," he said. "This is very bad."

Officials from the Wakf were not immediately available for comment due to the Muslim holiday of Id al-Adha.

Milshtin said the grapevine-engraved stones were photographed near an area known as Solomon´s Stables, which archaeologists say was constructed by King Herod between 40 and 30 B.C.E. He said he was appalled by the apparent carelessness with which the mosque work was being carried out.

"The stones are located in the wall, a wall they rebuilt after conducting renovations there," he said. "They are using it on the bottom of the wall, at the very bottom. This is a scandal that it is just used as a supporting stone." (© Copyright 2004 Haaretz. 02/04/04)