“To the Place of Trumpeting” to Declare the Sabbath on the Temple Mount

Discovered by Prof Benjamin Mazar in 1968 during excavations adjacent to Temple Mount, was a stone that formed the top southwest corner of the Temple wall. On it was inscribed: (לבית התקיעה) "L'beit HaTekiah"  - "Belonging to the place or “house” of trumpeting". It was the sign at the place where priests would blow the silver trumpets to notify the inhabitants of Jerusalem that the Sabbath was about to enter. Another trumpeting would be sounded to announce the end of the sacred day.

Josephus, War 4.9.12

“…the last [tower] was erected above the top of the Pastophoria: where one of the priests stood of course, and gave a signal beforehand, with a trumpet  at the beginning of every seventh day, in the evening twilight: as also at the evening, when that day was finished: as giving notice to the people when they were to leave off work, and when they were to go to work again.” Today, holding to the ancient tradition, the city of Jerusalem still sounds a specific alarm to notify its residents of the approach of the Sabbath.