Credit courtesy
of Dafna Gazit, the Israel Antiquities Authority, fair use doctrine.
Joel Kontinen
Archaeologists excavating at ancient copper mines in
southern Israel have recovered scraps of fabric dyed in royal purple from the
time of Kings David and King Solomon. This is the first time remnants of such “royal clothing” has been
found from the age of the great biblical kings from 3000 years ago.
“The colour immediately attracted our attention, but
we found it hard to believe we had found true purple from such an ancient era,”
said the researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority on Thursday.
The dig has been ongoing since 2013 in the Timna Valley, known as the site of ancient copper mines located some 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of the city of Eilat,
A large section of the valley is a park where visitors
can see spectacular geological features as well as preserved excavations of
ancient copper mines, including rock drawings from ancient Egypt.
In the joint project carried out by the Israel
Antiquities Authority, Tel Aviv University and Bar Ilan University, researchers
were surprised to find remnants of woven fabric, a tassel and fibers of wool
dyed with royal purple that radiocarbon dating confirmed to be 3,000 years old,
corresponding to the biblical monarchies of David and Solomon in Jerusalem.
The dye, which is produced from species of mollusk
found in the Mediterranean, over 300 km from Timna, is often mentioned in the
Bible, including in a passage in the Song of Songs (3:9–10): “King Solomon made
for himself the carriage; he made it of wood from Lebanon. Its posts he made of
silver, its base of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple, its interior
inlaid with love.”
“This is a very exciting and important discovery,”
said Dr. Naama Sukenik, curator of organic finds at the Israel Antiquities
Authority. “This is the first piece of textile ever found from the time of
David and Solomon that is dyed with the prestigious purple dye.”
“In antiquity, purple attire was associated with the
nobility, with priests, and of course with royalty. The gorgeous shade of the
purple, the fact that it does not fade and the difficulty in producing the dye,
which is found in minute quantities in the body of mollusks, all made it the
most highly valued of the dyes, which often cost more than gold,” Dr. Sukenik
said.
Prof. Erez Ben-Yosef of Tel Aviv University explained
that the extremely dry climate of Timna helped preserve organic materials such
as textile, cords and leather from the Iron Age, from the time of David and
Solomon, “providing us with a unique glimpse into life in biblical times.”
“If we excavated for another hundred years in
Jerusalem, we would not discover textiles from 3000 years ago. The state of
preservation at Timna is exceptional,” said Prof. Ben-Yosef.
This discovery highlights the veracity of scriptures.Everything it says, stays true.
source
Benzion, Yakir, 2021. Archaeological find gives a glimpse into the wardrobe of King David and
King Solomon from 3000 years ago. United with Israel 29.1.
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