First Temple Artifacts Discovered Near the Temple Mount
The Israel Antiquities Authority has announced today that excavations west of the Temple Mount have revealed remains of the Eastern Cardo, a colonnaded street from the Late Roman period (2nd century CE). Also uncovered were a personal seal with the name נתניהו בן יאוש (Netanyahu ben Yaush) and jar handles with LMLK inscriptions, one of which reads למלך חברון ([belonging] to the king of Hebron).
According to the IAA press release:
This is actually the first time in the history of the archaeological research of Jerusalem that building remains from the First Temple period were exposed so close to the Temple Mount – on the eastern slopes of the Upper City.
UPDATE: A short video accompanied by an even shorter article on this discovery can be viewed at the Independent Television News website.
And infolive.tv has another interesting video.
UPDATE: Todd Bolen objects to the translation of the inscription as “belonging to the king of Hebron.” Instead, he proposes that the inscription says “belonging to the king” and Hebron is the place where the seal was manufactured.
