City Of David: Archeological Site

Biblical Jerusalem, or City of David, is an archeologist’s dream. The findings surrounding the city are numerous and significant to the world today. There have been buildings, walls, pottery, coins, and latrines found in the site of the city. The first discovery of Biblical Jerusalem was made in 1867 (City of David). The City of David is now located in the present day Old City of Jerusalem. Many of the sites, such as the site of the First and Second Temple, Hezekiah’s tunnel, and the Lower Wall can be visited to this day.
            The City of David was originally built near the Gihon Spring, by the southeast hill of the Temple Mound. This location was chosen for the access to the Gihon water source. (Bible Places). Today this is also the location of the Dome of the Rock. The City of David is located in the Kidron Valley, and originally had a wall that was between eighty and one hundred meters wide, which was located on the eastern slope of the valley (Bible Places). During the Early Bronze Age, around the third millennium, the city was a urban Canaanite settlement (JVL). The southern slope of the city is Mount Moriah (Snunit).
            Later during the eighteenth century, the Middle Bronze Age, a wall was built around the city, above the Kidron Valley. Inside this wall were building walls, which represent a city life during this time; a city that is thought to have been a Canaanite and Jebusite city (JVL). A water system is thought to have been built during the end of the second millennium. The water was drawn from the Gihon Spring, making it so the residents would be able to have fresh, clean water, without having to leave the city walls (JVL). This water system is now known as Warren’s Shaft, after the archeologist who discovered it (JVL).
            In approximately 1000 BCE, King David (1037 BCE to 967 BCE) decided to leave Hebron and headed for Jerusalem. David later decided to make Jerusalem the unified capital for the Tribes of Israel because of its geographical location (City of David). David built a massive structure which is considered the fortress of Zion. David resided in the fortress of Zion during the time he was King of the land (MFA). 2 Samuel 5:5-9 recalls David‘s capture of the city and his capture of the fortress of Zion:

In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. The king (David) and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David….David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward.

After David, came the reign of King Solomon (971 BCE to 931 BCE), David’s son. Solomon is responsible for the building of the First Temple during the tenth century BCE, which he built on top of the summit of Mount Moriah (City of David). Solomon also filled in the valley between the city and Mount Moriah, on which he palaces were later built (Snunit). Under this filled in valley between the city and Mount Moriah, David had passageways and fortresses constructed, for both security and protection (City of David).
During the eighth century, and the reign of King Hezekiah, there were additional changes to the city. In 701 BCE Hezekiah had a large tunnel built underneath the city, from the Gihon Spring, ending in the Pool of Siloam. This was in preparation for an Assryian invasion, headed by King Sennacherib (City of David). In Isaiah 22:11 it states: “You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.” This Biblical quote is in regards to the Pool of Siloam, which is in present day Old City of Jerusalem. Hezekiah also expanded the city walls during his reign. He constructed the Lower Wall, on the eastern slope on the bottom of the Kidron Valley (Bible Places). Today people can tour both the tunnel and the pool and get a chance to experience a bit of history.
The City of David was destroyed in 586 BCE by the Babylonians. There is significant evidence of the destruction that came along with the conquer. This includes charred remains, and thick layers of rubble from all of the demolished structures (JVL). There are three significant passages in the Bible that relates to this destructions, the first of which is found in 2 Kings 25:8-10:

“On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He set fire to the temple of the lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem.”

The next passage is found in Jeremiah 39:8 and it states: “The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.” The last of the passages is in 2 Chronicles 36: 17-19:

“…God handed all of them to Nebuchadnezzar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. They set fire to God’s temple, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.”

After this destruction a new wall was built by Nehemiah around 444 BCE, yet it did not follow the line of the old wall. This new wall was built on the northeastern slope of the Kidron Valley (JVL). During the Hellenistic and Roman times, the center of the city shifted to the western wall (JVL). During Medieval times, the south wall of The City of David, which is now located along the line of present day Old City Jerusalem (MFA).
There have been several significant archeological findings in regards to the City of David. The first of these findings is a stepped stone structure. This is the largest structure thought to have been built during the Iron Age. It is thought to have been built during the twelfth century in the Jubusite city, and may have been a royal building or palace (Bible Places). The next finding is a set of four latrines, also considered the Throne of Solomon (Bible Places). Another finding is the Ashlar House, which is located on the southeast slope of the valley. It is thought to have been a public building, built with gigantic stones (JVL).
The House of Ali’el is also a significant archeological finding within the City of David. This building was found on the northeastern slope of the valley. It is a typical four roomed house of the period, with an external stone staircase leading to the second story (JVL). The house was named from the Hebrew inscriptions on pottery found in the house. There was also a personal name found on this pottery (JVL). Inside the house there was also a small storage room in which fifty jars were found, along with cosmetics and house ware that has been carbon dated to 586 BCE (Bible Places). The last significant thing that was found in the house was a limestone toilet seat imbedded into the plaster floor (JVL).
The Bullae House is another structure that as found within the City of David. This Bullae House was found just east of the House of Ahi’el, and is named for fifty clay sealings, or Bullae, with Hebrew lettering that was found inside of the house (JVL). Not only were there bullae found in the house, but also pottery, arrowheads, and limestone idols. These finding brought archeologists to believe that this structure was used as a public building (JVL). Because of the charred remains inside the house, as well as the bullae, this building was most likely destroyed during the Babylonian destruction (JVL). The bullae, which is made out of clay shaped into flat disk, were attached to string holding together a papyrus paper, and stamped with a seal. Inside these papers are dozens of Hebrew personal names, two of them also named in the Bible (JVL).
The first of these names is Geramiah, the son of a high official at the court of the King Jehoiakim of Judah (JVL). In Jeremiah 36:10 it states: “From the room of Geramiah son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate of the temple, Baruch read to all the people at the Lord’s temple the words of Jeremiah from the scroll.”
The next name that was part of the documents found in the Bullae House is Azariah, from the family of high priests from the end of the First Temple Period (JVL). In 1 Chronicles 9:10-11 it states: “ Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jakin; Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God;”
The City of David was not only a significant area during Biblical times, it is also an important area of history to this day. Archeologists are continuing to excavate this city and there will be many more discoveries to come. Just recently a new wall has been discovered underneath the Temple Mound, which is thought to belong to Queen Helena of Mesopotamia, who converted to Judaism during the first century. This wall was found as part of an underground passage attached to the Second Temple, and the present day Western Wall (Rueters).

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