To the west of the Temple in the second-Temple period was situated a residential area known as the "Upper City," named as such on account of its elevation over other parts of Jerusalem, including the Temple. The occupants of the Upper City were the rich and powerful: the Jerusalem aristocracy, including the hight priestly families. The house of Caiaphas, the high priest, to which Jesus was taken after his arrest was in the Upper City. Peter waited for the outcome of Jesus' interrogation in the courtyard of this house; it was here that he betrayed Jesus three times (Mark 14:53-72 = Matt 26: 57-75; Luke 22:54-71).

From 1969 to 1982, under the direction of Nahman Avigad, parts of the Upper City were excavated with impressive results. Remains of several houses destroyed during the Roman invasion of Jerusalem in 70, along with their furnishings, came to light. Examples of artifacts from houses uncovered during Avigad's excavations of what was called the "Upper City" of Jerusalem in Herodian times include stone tables and stone vessels. The rectangular tables were made of limestone and averaged 85 cm by 45 cm; they were engraved on three sides, being designed to be placed against a wall. The stone vessels were also made of limestone. According to rabbinic halakah, stoneware does not absorb ritual impurity in the form of corpse uncleanness from its environment (m. Kelim 10:1; m. Parah 5:5).