By Yonatan Mizrachi
In the more than 140 years of excavations at the "City of David" archaeological site in the Palestinian village of Silwan in Jerusalem, dozens of fragments have been unearthed bearing inscriptions in ancient Hebrew. Most date from the beginning of the eighth to the sixth century B.C.E , and many of them carry the names of high officials from the days of the Judean kingdom. Several names found on ancient seals are mentioned in the Bible as royal ministers. Prominent among them is Gmaryahu ben Shafan, who is mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah, and whose name appears on a seal discovered in excavations led by Professor Yigal Shila.
However, of all the inscriptions that have been discovered, including the "Shiloah Tunnel" inscription that describes the quarrying of the tunnel, not one mentions the name of a king. Figures such as King David, King Solomon, and even King Hezekiah, whose names are so closely associated with biblical Jerusalem, are not to be found among the dozens of inscriptions that continue to be discovered at the site.
For many, the purpose of archaeology is to explain and to prove what is contained in the Bible. The ability to match the names of biblical figures with the artifacts found at the site proves the truthfulness of the Bible. However, this business of authenticating biblical stories, and the intense and often excessive urge to look for proof that this or that king once ruled in ancient Jerusalem, interferes with our ability to learn what archaeology has to teach us, which is how people actually lived. What we can we learn about their culture? What can we learn, for example, from the fact that we have found the names of fifty different people in various roles in the royal government, but not the name of a single king?
The fact that such extensive excavations throughout the entire City of David/Silwan site have turned up the names of so many high officials attests to their dominance in the system of government. Indeed, this may be the most important conclusion to be drawn from these inscriptions. What they teach us, it seems, is that the ancient kingdom of Judea was governed by a class of high officials, of which the king may have been one, but that he was not omnipotent, and his power was not absolute.
While it is true that most of these high officials are not mentioned in the Bible or in any history, what is far more interesting, and what we did not know prior to the archaeological excavations, is that some of them held high positions in the government, and perhaps even took part in historic decisions.
Further archaeological evidence of the lives of these high officials are the family tombs discovered at the foot of the eastern slopes of the Kidron Valley, near the Ras al-Amud neighborhood. The accepted view is that these tombs were used by multiple generations of the families of Jerusalem's high officials. Here again, no royal tomb has been found, despite well-publicized efforts in the early part of the twentieth century to locate the family tomb of King David.
In recent years a large structure was unearthed, initially thought to be a palace, and which some even claimed was the palace of King David himself. However, further investigation showed that King David was not associated with this structure, and that it was not even a palace. There is no dispute, on the other hand, that many of the structures on the site were once the dwellings of high officials.
The dominance of officials and ministers in ancient Jerusalem is an example of an historical insight revealed by the archaeological record. It is on the basis of such scientific findings that we must relate to our archaeological heritage, and not on the basis of ancient stories and histories which certain national and religious groups long to see proven. It is a journey into the past, but without the need to prove a connection with the Jewish people, or any other people. A visitor who seeks to know the archaeological record opens the door onto a rich past, a continuity of place and culture of which he is a part, but which belongs first and foremost to the place where it exists. This broad and encompassing past does not belong to a single religion or nationality, but invites members of all religions and nationalities to be a part of it.
The site now called "The City of David" has in recent years turned into an object of reverence for ideological groups, settlers, and even researchers who seek to prove the connection between the name of the site and the archaeological findings. The never-ending search for the mystical link to King David distracts us from the real point, which is understanding the past. In these days where the past is used as a political football in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, archaeology remains open to all of us. Its purpose is not to prove or disprove the Bible, nor is it for science alone, but rather to ensure a better future for the people of Silwan, Jerusalem, and the entire region.
*Yonatan Mizrachi, archaeologist and member of the organization "Emek Shaveh"- www.alt-arch.org , which deals with the place of archaeology in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
They didn’t find a single thing, not a single settlement, a single inscription, a single pot shard, nothing.
The episode reflects highly on the integrity of the archaeologists involved and suggests that if you want history read a history book, if you want Bronze Age fairy tales and legends read the Old Testament.
The author wrote "The never-ending search for the mystical link to King David distracts us from the real point, which is understanding the past."
Well enough. But then he writes in the same paragraph "Its purpose is not to prove or disprove the Bible, nor is it for science alone, but rather to ensure a better future for the people of Silwan, Jerusalem, and the entire region."
These are disconnected goals. Archeology often conflicts with a better life for people living there now. Leaving politics aside, just try and excavate a site for a new building or railway there without the ministry in charge halting construction because we have uncovered ancient remains which must be investigated. I have seen it myself where everything stops on a major project while the archeologists do their craft.
In Silwan and the Temple area of Jerusalem this has resulted in open conflict.
You either pledge yourself to the science and methodology of what you are doing or assume a contemporary political activism. Otherwise you have no credibility either way.
Spindok
Where's your proof??
30,000 Jewish Ghetto refugees that made it to British Mandated Palestine, fought along side the Brits, under the British flag.
4000 Arabs volunteered too, 2000 of which bailed within the first month.
Despite the fact that the Jews chose to risk their lives fighting for the British instead of staying in the European Ghettos, the British were anything but friends to the Jews. The Brits closed off ports and demanded that Turkey (which didn't listen to them btw), Russia, Italy all stop the refugee ships and not let them through their waters, the ships that would make it to the shores of Haifa would be turned away and sent to Cyprus to interment camps, where the Jews were humiliated and abused on daily basis.
Churchill was somewhat sympathetic to the Jews, but also kept his coolness and kept this little carrot of support at somewhat of a distance. Even when the vote for the Partition was taken the British abstained.
And RARELY did the British defended the Jews in fact, they'd look the other way when the Arabs committed atrocities against the Jews, and if the Jews tried to retaliate more often than not the Brits would turn them away and not let them. And lets not even go into how many Brits after the acceptance of the Partition volunteered to work with the Arabs against the Jews.
Again:
Great Now what does that have to do with anything? talking about the past doesn't justify illegal land grabs, illegal settlements, daily humiliations, and an endless occupation. If Israel doesn't like it, give my money back.
Bringing up stuff that happens generations ago does not justify illegal land grabs, illegal settlements, daily humiliations, and an endless occupation. Why don't you start with how you are going to end the occupation? Can you comprehend that?
Gee, I wonder why the Palestinians didn't love the Zionists after that!
>>>"For many, the purpose of archaeology is to explain and to prove what is contained in the Bible."
Really, Mr. Mizrachi?? Who are those "many"?
What you are doing here is political par excellance: focusing on a minority opinion & turning it into the defining issue. The vast majority of archeologists working in "the City of David" are neither religious nor politically motivated. They're scholars seeking to study history through archeological tools. Sure, comparing actual finds with the biblical story is important. Archeological finds are always compared with historical documents, precisely because such documents are neither comprehensive nor 100% accurate. For the vast majority of people, this is not an attempt "to prove" (or disprove) the Bible, but simply to better understand history by corroborating various imperfect sources (of which the Bible is just one).
The archeological finds show that between the 8th and the 6th century BCE the area was inhabited by the ancient Israelites, who used the Hebrew language and were organized in a state-like political structure. They also corroborate the historical existence of some (but not all) of the personages mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah, etc.
Sure, this might have political ramifications – to those who seek such ramifications. But they are hardly new – and whether King David was the person described in the Bible or not is hardly the point.
"The vast majority of archeologists working in "the City of David" are neither religious nor politically motivated" I wonder whether do you believe what you say or you are just sent to talk hasbara to those who are not blind by religion. The City of David is a project where zionists (Elad) claim that Silwan is not Palestinian and use the dig to sell that idea so they can argue that is an integral part of Jewish only Jerusalem and therefore "encourage" the selling of Palestinian property so Jews can move in and displace the pals.. And with a law moving through the Knesset allowing the communities to pick who can or can not move in, well, might as well be institutionalized discrimination. Open your eyes, stealing of the land and the occupation must end, lest Israel becomes an Apartheid. How do you reconcile who may have been living here a 1,000 years ago with the depravity that the Pals are suffering in Jerusalem NOW? How do you explain the lack of resources, open sewage, lack of permits to build, lack of funds, services, AND security based on whether being one is Jewish or not? Silwan must be part of Palestinian Jerusalem for peace to prevail. Now you are saying that peace is not important as long as the Jews keep what they want. That is the conclusion, do you want peace? and is the peace you give a peace you can accept?
It doesn't seem like either side actually wants a resolution right now. There is no use blaming one side or the other. The current detente seems more acceptable to both sides than any (realistic) proposed solution. Neither Abbas nor Netanyahu could make their people abide by any "peace" because too many people see it as an all or nothing, zero sum game.
Yes, there are also political interests around this, as there are around everything in the Middle East. Elad may have a political agenda; the Palestinian and pro-Palestinian organizations which were trying to stop the digs have a political agenda. But the vast majority of the archeologists are serious scientists -- not your type of "militants".
Nobody can seriously deny that Silwan is an Arab village NOW. Nobody should seriously suggest that it was not Jewish THEN.
To achieve peace (which is what you imply that you want), the Arabs need to stop trying to de-legitimize the other side's claims by trying to re-write the history to "show" that the Jewish people (the "people of Israel") has no connection to the country ("the land of Israel"). As long as they -- the Arabs -- keep trying to do that (the implication being that the Jews should be kicked out or deprived of their inherent right to self determination), they cannot complain about "discrimination". What they should do is admit that there is a competing (but NO LESS legitimate) claim to the land. At that point (and only at that point) peace becomes possible by dividing the land into two states for two peoples.
In simple words, the Arabs tried to ethnically cleanse the Jews by violence -- and failed. They keep trying to do it now by political means. Let them who do THAT not complain about being "discriminated".
A "biblical flood" of the entire world is impossible, period.
Stopping the world from turning, or stopping the sun in the sky is impossible, period.
So are talking snakes, etc.
The Bible = bunch of myths = NOT A RELIABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENT.
There has never been such a city
Sorry, but the "minimalists" have exactly the same amount of credibilty as do the biblical literalists: None