Archaeologist claims Israeli ruins from the time of King David

Professor Yosef Garfinkel of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem recently published findings that indicate five ancient fortified cities outside the capital were part of King David’s kingdom. The ruins were built in the early 10th century BC, roughly 200 years earlier than previous estimates, Garfinkel said. He used carbon dating on olive pits found at the sites to determine the cities' ages, which date to the reign of King David. In the Bible, God appointed David as the second king of Israel and gave him victory over the Philistine army.

What other discoveries have been made about David’s kingdom? Archaeologists in 1993 and in 2022 found engravings from the Aramean and Moabite people, respectively, which mention the “House of David.” Researchers have also found structures near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem that date back to David’s rule. 

Dig deeper: From the archives, listen to Paul Butler’s report on The World and Everything in It about significant archaeological discoveries in 2021.