An archaeologist has claimed that the ruins of five fortified cities outside Jerusalem belong to the same kingdom ruled by the biblical figure King David.
Yosef Garfinkle with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem believes the cities date back to the early 10th century BCE, about 200 years earlier than previously thought, when their construction was established during the time of David.
Garfinkel’s research, published in June, describes cities that all have two parallel walls and organized streets in the center, suggesting that the network was connected to a state.
While the cities were discovered separately, the archaeologist claims to be the first to connect the dots – determining that they were an organized urban network built around 1000 BC.
And King David ruled from 1104 to 960 BC during the Iron Age.
David is said to have been a shepherd boy who became Israel’s third and most important king around 1000 BC when he united all the tribes of Israel under a single king – but the story has been disputed due to lack of evidence.
An archaeologist has claimed that the ruins of Jerusalem’s five fortified cities are the ruins of a kingdom ruled by the biblical figure King David. Khirbet Kaifa is one of the oldest cities in the world
Yosef Garfinkel with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem believes the cities date back to the early 10th century BCE, about 200 years earlier than previously thought, when they were built during the time of David.
“I hate to use the phrase ‘trying to prove the Bible,’ because I’m not trying to prove anything,” Garfinkel told The Times of Israel.
‘Biblical traditions are there, and we can see whether they have historical memory or not… This does not mean that everything is, 100 percent, historical memory.
‘Sometimes there are mistakes, sometimes there are deliberate thoughts, sometimes there are ideals.’
To the north and west of Jerusalem are ruins at Khirbet Kiafa, Tell en-Nasbeh, Khirbet ed-Dawara, Lachish, and Beth Shemesh.
The fortified city at Khirbet Kaifa, excavated from 2007 to 2013, consists of two gates, two piazzas, a casemate city wall, a peripheral belt of buildings along the city wall, a large colonnaded building, and a large public building occupying the highest point. point of site.
To the north and west of Jerusalem are ruins at Khirbet Kiafa, Tell en-Nasbeh, Khirbet ed-Dawara, Lachish, and Beth Shemesh.
The fortified city at Khirbet Qiafa included two gates, two piazzas, a casemate city wall, a peripheral belt of buildings flanking the city wall, a large colonnaded building, and a large public building occupying the highest point of the site.
A casemate consists of two thin, parallel, spaces between them.
Beth Shemesh is located in the northern Shephelah, about a day’s walk from Jerusalem, and was discovered in 1911.
‘A photograph of this city wall depicts two casemates made of massive stone, as would be expected for a city fortification,’ the study says.
Tell En-Nashbeh, also a half-day’s walk in Jerusalem, was excavated from 1926 to 1935.
A picture of [Beth Shemesh] Two casemates made of massive stone are depicted, as would be expected for a city fort,’ reads the study
Beth Shemesh is located in the northern Shephelah, roughly a day’s walk from Jerusalem, and was discovered in 1911.
The city was surrounded by a casemate wall, lined by a belt of houses included as back rooms of the casemates; At the other end, these houses open onto a peripheral road.
Excavations between 1985 and 1986 found Khirbet ed-Dawara ‘a poorly preserved, short-lived site built on cots’.
It consists of a single settlement phase with the remains of a four-room house and a casemate fort.
Tel Lachish is located in the southern Shephelah about two days from Jerusalem.
Tell En-Nashbeh, also a half day’s walk in Jerusalem, was excavated from 1926 to 1935.
The city was surrounded by a casemate wall, lined by a belt of houses included as back rooms of the casemates; At the other end, these houses open onto a peripheral road.
Seven different expeditions have extensively excavated the site from 1932 to date.
The ancient city was found surrounded by walls.
Garfinkel determined the ages of the five using olive pits found scattered throughout the ruins, which he did by carbon dating.
According to the University of Chicago carbon dating is ‘based on the fact that living organisms – such as trees, plants, humans and animals – absorb carbon-14 into their tissues’.
‘When they die, the carbon-14 begins to change over time into other atoms. By counting the remaining carbon-14 atoms, scientists can estimate how long the organism has been dead.’
While the cities were discovered separately, the archaeologist claimed to be the first to connect the dots – determining that they were an organized urban network built around 1000 BC. Ruins of Lachish in the picture
Tel Lachish is located in the southern Shephelah about two days from Jerusalem
Garfinkel also uncovered a number of Proto-Canaanite and Canaanite inscriptions at some sites, indicating an increased need for communication that marked a centralized authority and powerful kingdom, he claims.
Collaborative archaeologists are not sold on Garfinkel’s claims.
Aren Meir, an archeology professor at Bar Ilan University, told The Times of Israel: ‘I think it’s an oversimplification and he’s flattening the details.
‘There are many small details that I disagree with, and there are generalizations over a wide period of time that are problematic.
‘It’s like when a fisherman tells you about the kind of fish he caught and his arms get wider and wider with each story.
‘Is it sardine, mackerel or blue whale? If you read the biblical text and take it literally, it is a blue whale.
‘I think there was probably a small kingdom in Jerusalem, but we don’t know what influence this kingdom had.’