Inside the Jebusite tunnel and shaft during the Parker excavations.

In 1909 Père Vincent, the distinguished Dominican father and Jerusalem’s most respected archaeological authority, was convinced by Captain Montague Parker to join his expedition. Père Vincent’s presence legitimized an expedition under sharp attack from Jerusalem’s archaeological community. For Père Vincent, Parker’s explorations on Ophel offered a priceless opportunity for research into the most ancient remains of Jerusalem.

The careful researches of Père Vincent in the ancient water system on the hill of Ophel were published as Underground Jerusalem (from which this picture is reproduced). Vincent conclusively showed that Biblical Jerusalem could be located on Ophel and not on Mt. Zion where accepted archaeological theory of the period placed it. Underground Jerusalem stands as a lasting contribution to archaeological scholarship despite the complete debacle of Parker’s quest.