The Solomon Pools are located in the village of Artas, southwest of Bethlehem. The Solomon's Pools consist of a series of three adjacent, interconnected pools. The first pool empties into the second, and the second empties into the third, from which two canals branch off. The first pool has a length of 116 meters, a maximum width of approximately 72 meters, a depth range of 6 to 12 meters, and a capacity of around 85,000 cubic meters. The central, or second, pool has a length of 129 meters, a width of 76 meters, a depth of about 12 meters, and a capacity of around 90,000 cubic meters. The third and lowest pool, also known as the Mamluk pool, is the largest of the three. It has a length of 177 meters, a maximum width of 86 meters, a depth of about 15 meters, and a capacity of around 113,000 cubic meters. In total, the combined capacity of the three pools exceeds a quarter of a million cubic meters.
The Upper and Middle Pools date back to the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, while the Lower Pool was constructed during the Mamluk Period (15th century). These pools have played a significant role in the area's water supply for centuries, as they were part of an ancient waterway supplying water to Jerusalem. The pools were even repaired by Pontius Pilate, and Herod the Great had water carried by aqueduct from the pools to Herodion and, likely, to Jerusalem as well.