City of David

The City of David (Hebrew: עיר דוד, Ir David, Arabic: مدينة داوود ) is the oldest settled part of Jerusalem and the most important archaeological site of the biblical Jerusalem.

Location

The City of David is located on a narrow ridge south of the Jerusalem Temple Mount outside the present city wall. It is bounded on the north by the Ophel and the Gihon Spring, to the south by the pool of Siloam and the Hinnom Valley. To the west lay the Tyropöontal ( Käsemachertal ), which provided a natural protection for defense. It is now almost leveled through the debris of centuries. And east is the natural limit the Kidron Valley.

History

The archaeological exploration of the area began in the 19th century. The area includes several sites of archaeological interest, especially the pool of Siloam, the Gihon Spring and Hezekiah the tunnel. These are in an archaeological park and are open to the public. Visitors can wade through the Hezekiah tunnel through which today flows the water of the old source.

The earliest excavations were made by Charles Warren in 1867. Since then, have been and are carried out numerous excavations to date.

Copper Age (4500-3500 BC)

Finds from the Chalcolithic period are fragments of pottery that were excavated in the columns of the grown Felses by Macalister and Duncan. Here, a series of artificial arrangements have been discovered in the rock. These included smoothing and gutters that had been cut into the rock, but also several small basins, of which it is suspected that they were used to grind grain or olives or for collecting rainwater.

Early Bronze Age (3500-2350 BC)

From this period, only a few fragments of pottery have been found.

The Middle Bronze Age (2000-1550 BC)

In the Middle Bronze Age Jerusalem is mentioned several times in Egyptian texts of the 19th and 18th century BC and in the biblical story of Melchizedek (Gen. 14.18 to 21 EU). During this time the city is big enough and powerful to build a "massive " city wall to protect their water supply from the Gihon Spring.

Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BC)

From the Late Bronze Age pottery and bronze arrowheads were found.

In 2010, the fragment of a clay tablet from the 14th century BC was unearthed. It is the oldest written document from Jerusalem. The dating was based on the ancient Akkadian cuneiform. The quality of the writing suggests a royal inscription, maybe it is a letter of the Jerusalem king to Pharaoh in Egypt. This theory says that the fragment neither name nor title nor place names contains. In addition, the clay tablet can be attached to a specific layer, as it was only discovered during screening of overburden.

Iron Age I (1200-970 BC)

A city wall of the Jebusite city of the 12th century BC was uncovered. This dating is controversial. There is disagreement, however, whether the conquest was carried out by the troops of King David is just over the city walls, or whether, as is described in the Bible was done by the old water system at the Gihon Spring. It is believed that the Israelites used the intact Jebusiterwälle and under King Solomon extended northward to include the Temple Mount.

Iron Age IIa (1000-900 BC)

The 10th and 9th centuries BC, the time of the biblical kings David and Solomon, was the subject of intense scientific debate and the ongoing archaeological investigations.

In 2005, a large stone structure was discovered. It is dated to the 10th century BC. Under this assumption, it would be an indication that Jerusalem has been the capital of a centralized empire. It could also be that the structure for much of the later Hasmonean period is attributable. Further insights are expected from the excavation.

On the slope on the other side of the Kidron Valley in and under the Arab village of Silwan, there are carved out of the limestone rock tombs of the Israelite period from the 9th to 7th centuries BC It is large, well-developed graves, only to could afford the highest-ranking members of society such as ministers, nobles and dignitaries of the kingdom of Judah. Although only three inscriptions are partly preserved, the paleography is certain that it is one of the graves is the grave of the biblical Shebna, the steward and treasurer of King Hezekiah was.

Iron Age IIIb (8th century - 586 BC)

This is the time of the biblical kings Hezekiah Josiah and to the destruction of the kingdom of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar II. Hezekiah king secured the city's water supply in case of siege, by letting the beat named after him Hezekiah tunnel through the rock.

Babylonian and Persian period ( 586-322 BC)

Two bulls were found in neo- Babylonian style. A shows a priest who is standing next to an altar of the gods Marduk and Nabu. A stone polished black scarab seal depicting a " Babylonian cultic scene " with two bearded men standing on either side of an altar is dedicated to the Babylonian moon god Sin. The scarab was probably made in Babylonia. Under the altar there is a field for a personal name, in which is engraved in Hebrew the name Shelomit.

Hasmoneans and Herod's time (167 BC - 70 AD)

Among the most important archaeological finds of this period include the Pool of Siloam, the Jerusalem pilgrim road, the Palace of Queen Helena of Adiabene and a water channel.

Byzantine and early Islamic period (324-1099 AD)

A mansion built in the Byzantine period is called the house of Eusebius.

Modern Times

Mid-19th century, the Scotsman James Graham ( 1853-1857 ) photographs taken showing the crest of the City of David without buildings. He is terraced and apparently planted with olive trees.

The modern development of the ridge began 1873-1874, when the family Meyuchas, a Jewish rabbi and merchant family, who had lived in Jerusalem since their expulsion from Spain, settled themselves on the ridge outside the city walls. In the last phase of the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine, the neighboring Palestinian village of Silwan extended to the crest of the City of David.

After the Palestine war of 1948 the whole area was on the eastern side of the Green Line under Jordanian control. Until 1967, settled on the crest of the City of David Palestinian families. From 1968 to 1977, the Israel Exploration Society conducted the first excavations at the Ophel, which were directed by Benjamin Mazar and Eilat Mazar.

The right to determine both the excavations and the development of the City of David, is controversial among Israelis and Palestinians. There is a suggestion that the bulk of the Kidron Valley, currently living in the Palestinians, to be converted into an archaeological park with the name of the King's Garden.

Credentials

31.77155535.235111Koordinaten: 31 ° 46 ' 18 "N, 35 ° 14 ' 6" O

• Ancient Israeli city
• Jerusalem
• Geography (Jerusalem)
• Mythological place
• Biblical topic
• Archaeological sites in Palestine
• Archaeological sites in Israel
• Jewish History ( Ancient )
• Place in the Bible
• David (Israel )