Ronny Reich

Ronny Reich (born 1947) is an Israeli archaeologist and professor at the University of Haifa who has conducted extensive excavations in Jerusalem, particularly on the southeastern hill identified as the City of David. Working alongside Eli Shukron of the Israel Antiquities Authority from 1995 onward, Reich's excavations have produced some of the most significant discoveries connecting the physical landscape of ancient Jerusalem to the biblical narrative.

Key Discoveries

In 2004, Reich and Shukron discovered the Second Temple-period Pool of Siloam when workers repairing a sewage pipe near the southern end of the City of David exposed ancient stone steps. Excavation revealed a monumental stepped pool designed to accommodate hundreds of pilgrims for ritual immersion before ascending to the Temple Mount. The pool is identified with the site mentioned in John 9:7-11. Reich also co-directed the excavation of the Jerusalem Pilgrim Road - the main stepped street connecting the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount - and contributed to the reinterpretation of Warren's Shaft as a natural karstic feature rather than a deliberately cut water tunnel.

Scholarly Contributions

Reich's work at the City of David spans the longest continuous excavation project in Jerusalem's history. His careful stratigraphic methods and willingness to revise earlier interpretations (as with Warren's Shaft) exemplify rigorous archaeological practice applied to one of the most contested archaeological sites in the world. His publications on Jerusalem's water systems, fortifications, and urban development during the Iron Age and Second Temple period are standard references in the field.

Academic Career and Publications

Reich earned his Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and joined the University of Haifa in 1995, becoming associate professor in 2002, full professor in 2006, and serving as department head from 2002 to 2005. He spent 25 years at the Israel Antiquities Authority prior to his university appointment and currently serves as Chairperson of the Israel Exploration Society. His major publications include Excavating the City of David: Where Jerusalem's History Began (2011), Miqwa'ot (Jewish Ritual Baths) in the Second Temple, Mishnaic and Talmudic Periods (2013), Stone Scale-Weights of the Late Second-Temple Period (2015), and Day by Day: Everyday Life of the Jewish Community in the Late Second Temple Period (2021).