WOW: Major Find from the First Temple Period Unearthed!

For the first time ever, a rare collection of decorated ivory plaques have been dug up in biblical Jerusalem

By Nosson Shulman: Licensed Tour Guide of VIP Israel Tours & Authentic Virtual Tours (click here to check out his free trailer videos)

Archeologists digging under the (former) Givati parking lot in the City of David in Jerusalem, were stunned to uncover a large collection of ivory plagues (more than 1500 fragments) dated to the biblical First Temple Period. It was discovered inside what was once an extremely luxurious palace (circa 9th and 8th century BCE) which was destroyed by the invading Babylonians (circa 422 BCE) by fire. This is the first time that they have been found in Jerusalem, and few have been located elsewhere in the world.

Ivory was perhaps the most valuable raw material in the ancient world (way more than gold). What made them so valuable was that they were from elephants in faraway Africa and had to be imported from a great distance. Based on other places where they have been located, it is believed that they were probably set inlaid into wooden couch thrones.

Based on the location and time period, it is possible that they belonged to King Solomon, whom the Bible records as having received a shipment of ivory from abroad (see 1 Kings 10:22), using it to build a throne (see 1 Kings 10:18). If it did indeed belong to the righteous king, then it would appear that his descendants continued to use it for generations until the destruction of the First Temple. Similar findings have only been found in a few other select capital cities of great Kingdoms from that time period, including Sennacherib’s palace in Nineveh (capital of Assyria) and in Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel (Jerusalem was in the southern kingdom of Judea). The ivory in Samaria may have belonged to King Ahab (see 1 Kings 22:39).

Other valuable items found in the ancient Jerusalem palace include jars which were used to hold vanilla-spiced wine, a seal made of agate (a semi-precious stone), and a seal impression inscribed with the words “Natan-Melech servant of the King”).

Nosson Shulman is a journalist and Licensed Tour Guide in Israel specializing in Biblical tours. To allow tourists to experience Israel during the Corona era, he created the new hit Israel tour video series which brings Israel to the home of viewers by simulating actual tours. To check out his free sneak preview tour videos, click here. To view sample tour itineraries or to inquire about private tour opportunities with a personalized itinerary on your next trip to Israel, click here.