And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.
– 1 Kings 7:47 (ESV)
Ancient copper mines at the site of Timna in far southern Israel have yielded intriguing finds that reveal new information about the copper-makers who worked there. Timna is believed by some to be the site of King Solomon’s mines. An extensive collection of extremely high-quality fabric pieces has been uncovered by a team from Tel Aviv University led by Dr. Erez Ben-Yosef. The extremely dry conditions at the site helped preserve this material, which has been dated to the tenth century (900s) BC.
“No textiles have ever been found at excavation sites like Jerusalem, Megiddo and Hazor, so this provides a unique window into an entire aspect of life from which we’ve never had physical evidence before,” said Dr. Ben-Yosef. “We found fragments of textiles that originated from bags, clothing, tents, ropes and cords.”
This is the first time that textiles dating from the era of kings David and Solomon have been found, and the advanced weaving techniques and ornamentation surprised the archaeologists involved with the dig. They appeared to be a thousand years ahead of their time.
This discovery will add to the debate over the timing and validity of the Solomon story of the Bible. Copper (and the bronze made from it) was one of the most valuable resources in ancient times. Almost all of the copper mining operations at the site have previously been dated to hundreds of years prior to when Solomon was supposed to have reigned (in the 900s BC). Solomon is said to have used enormous amounts of copper in his building activities. The mining activity needed to support the use of so much copper has led many to label the Timna site as “King Solomon’s Mines.” But the dates assigned to the Timna mining operations have led many scholars to become skeptical of the biblical account.
In fact there is a general lack of anything like the great wealth and international trade of Solomon’s empire to be seen in Israel in the 900s BC of the Iron Age, under conventional chronology. However, David Rohl and other historians have pointed out that, similar to the case with the Exodus and Conquest, the remains from Israel near the end of the Late Bronze, 250-350 years before the 900’s, provide a very good match for the conditions described in the Bible for kings David and Solomon.
So, are these new finds actually from the time of Solomon or from the time of the fading power of Judah centuries later? Time may tell.
For more information on the question of where Solomon should be placed on the timeline of the ancient world, watch The David Rohl Lectures.
For more information on the finds at the Timna copper mines…
TOP PHOTO: Rope made of date palm fibers, found at the Timna copper mines. (credit: Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority)
David Rohl challenges the current consensus amongst academics that the Bible is predominantly a work of fiction. His obvious mastery of the subject in this four-hour two disc presentation clarifies why evidence for the early history in the Bible has previously been missed.
