A groundbreaking scientific discovery has unveiled a new understanding of an ancient site in Jerusalem, challenging previous expert opinions and aligning with biblical accounts.
Formerly attributed to Hezekiah, King of Judah, scholars believed a section of the city wall in Jerusalem’s original heart was constructed during his reign in the seventh and eighth centuries BC. It was thought that Hezekiah erected the wall as a defense against the Assyrian Empire following the destruction of the neighboring Kingdom of Israel.
However, an extensive study spanning nearly a decade has revealed that the wall was actually built by Hezekiah’s great-grandfather, Uzziah, in the aftermath of a significant earthquake, corroborating biblical narratives. Situated in the City of David, the historical archaeological site believed to be the original Jerusalem, the wall’s origins have sparked a reevaluation of historical assumptions.
Joe Uziel of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) explained, “For decades, it was assumed that this wall was built by Hezekiah, King of Judah. But it is now becoming clear that it dates back to the days of King Uzziah, as hinted at in the Bible.”
The study, conducted jointly by the IAA, Tel Aviv University, and the Weizmann Institute of Science, utilized carbon-14 dating to determine the age of the ancient wall. Previously considered challenging due to fluctuating carbon-14 levels in the atmosphere during that period, researchers overcame this obstacle by examining ancient tree rings from Europe.
Elisabetta Boaretto of the Weizmann Institute highlighted the significance of their findings, stating, “With the work we’ve done in the City of David, we succeeded to reach a resolution less than 10 years, which is really something very very new and dramatic.”
The research also shed light on the expansion of Jerusalem, indicating that it occurred earlier than previously thought, during the reign of King Jehoash in the ninth century BC. This challenges prior assumptions linking Jerusalem’s growth to the arrival of refugees from the Kingdom of Israel following the Assyrian exile.
Moreover, the study revealed that Jerusalem was larger than previously believed during the reigns of David and Solomon, pinpointing specific structures mentioned in biblical texts.
These findings offer new insights into the ancient history of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Judah, enriching our understanding of this pivotal period in biblical and archaeological history.