Debris removed from Temple Mount sparks controversyAfter reading the rest of the article, I think the claim in the last quoted paragraph above sounds dubious. We need to hear from the IAA about this.
By MELANIE LIDMAN
01/01/2013 01:11
Archeologists say "modern trash" may contain ancient artifacts, but police call that rubbish.
The adage that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” rings especially true on the Temple Mount, where even the smallest piece of ancient trash – such as a seal bearing the name “Bethlehem” or a bell that possibly fell off a priests’ robe – can reveal volumes about religious practices.
Workers from the Temple Mount Sifting Project say that over the past week, six to eight garbage trucks, illegally removed debris, possibly rich in archeological finds, from the site.
But Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said the debris had been “modern trash” that needed to be dumped, and that it was done in cooperation with the Antiquities Authority and under police supervision.
[...]
Background here.