Most scholars agree that the Second Temple was located on the upper terrace of the present-day Haram, with its axis of symmetry perpendicular to the eastern wall of the Herodian precinct. Opinions vary whether the rock under the present Muslim dome marks the site of the altar, sanctuary, or Holy of Holies. The shape of the rock and various cuttings of uncertain dates on its surface seemed to be the only physical remains of the actual Temple, although some claim that the Herodian platform was at a higher level than the current Muslim platform.

The point of departure of my proposal relates to the very beginning of the daily rite. The officiating priests had to wash their hands and feet in the laver before ascending the altar. The laver was located in the open area between the altar and the porch, slightly to the south. According to Mishnah Tamid 1, 4, each morning, when it was still dark outside, the first among the officiating priests would draw fresh water into the laver by a mechanical lifting device since it was forbidden to use water that stood in it overnight. Therefore, a cistern must have existed in that location. Cistern 5 on Wilson’s map of 1876 is the only such reservoir that could have served the laver. According to my proposal, the altar stood near its eastern end. This paper will discuss the implications of this location for the layout of the Temple, its courts, and chambers.