First demonstration of underground muon imaging at an archaeological site in ancient Jerusalem

Abstract

We present a novel underground imaging system that utilizes cosmic-ray muons to explore the subsurface environment at the City of David archeological site in ancient Jerusalem. The method exploits the fact that muons lose energy as they travel through matter, with attenuation depending on the integrated density along their path. By tracking muon trajectories through a multi-layered, scintillator-based detector, we reconstruct angular flux distributions and infer variations in overburden density. This report details initial findings from measurements conducted at a large rock-hewn installation, commonly known as “Jeremiah’s cistern.” A high-resolution LiDAR scan of the interior was combined with muon flux simulations to map structural anomalies. The system successfully identifies variations in ground opacity, demonstrating the viability of muon tomography for archeological imaging in complex environments. This work represents a significant interdisciplinary effort to deepen our understanding of this historical site.