Bible-era temple where ’10 commandments’ slabs may have once rested is uncovered near Jerusalem
AN UNUSUAL slab unearthed in a Bible-era temple found near Jerusalem is being linked to the 'large stone' that the Ark of the Covenant was said to rest on.
Archaeologists excavating the 3,100-year-old temple made the connection between the newly discovered slab and a Bible verse describing a similar object.
The temple is located in the ancient settlement of Beth Shemesh.
The site and its new stone slab find could be interpreted in lots of different ways but one possibility experts are considering is the biblical story of the fabled ark, traditionally believed to contain the tablets that the Ten Commandments were written on.
Dr Zvi Lederman, a Tel Aviv University archaeologist and one of the leaders of the excavation, told : "This would be a rare case in which we can merge the biblical narrative with an archaeological find."
If their theory is correct, this could be evidence of the Bible containing historic truths from a much earlier time period than experts have been dating verses to.
The temple itself is thought to date back to the 12th century BC and was found just outside the modern Israeli city of Beth Shemesh.
Its perfect square shape and the way it was isolated from other buildings at the site suggest that it's important.
The archaeologists also found telltale features of a religious structure inside including areas to keep wine, a platform for ceremonies, decorated pots and animal bones that may have been used for rituals.
To add even more mystery, the temple also shows signs of being destroyed in the mid-12th century BC, with all the pottery inside being smashed to bits.
It was then covered in animal dung and later torched.
Lederman told : "Very shortly after it was destroyed, the entire place was turned into an animal pen.
"To me this is an act of hostility, an intentional desecration of a holy place."
Biblical chronology and settlements nearby suggest that the culprits of the temple destroying were the Philistines, who were often in conflict with the Israelites during the 12th-11th centuries BC.
The researchers think the stone slab, which could have been a table, may be a clue as to why the temple caused so much conflict.
The slab fits the time frame and description of the "large stone" described in the First Book of Samuel as the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant when it was brought to Beth Shemesh after being taken from the Philistines.
According to the Bible, when the Israelites settled in the Promised Land, the ark was put in a location just north of Jerusalem.
It was then said to be stolen by the Philistines in a battle.
The Bible states that God punished them for this and inflicted the Philistines with plagues until they gave the holy artefact back.
A Bible verse describes how the ark was returned and placed "on the large stone" (1 Samuel 6:13-15).
The story also mentions how God smited anyone in Beth Shemesh who dared to look inside the ark.
The precious artefact was then said to be moved on sometime later.
Whether the Ark of the Covenant was once in the temple is almost impossible to conclusively prove archaeologically.
The archaeologists also note that there are some inconsistencies between the find at Beth Shemesh and the biblical story, for example, the stone was supposed to be located in a field.
Professor Shlomo Bunimovitz explained to Haaretz: "It’s not easy to unpack all the twists and turns of the story that ended up in the Bible and figure out what people remembered, what was historical and what was added later."
However, they think that their find suggest whoever wrote the story of the ark knew about an important large stone in Beth Shemesh that was used for worship.
For now, both the intended use of the stone slab and the location of the Ark of the Covenant remain a mystery.
What is the Ark of the Covenant?
Here's what you need to know...
- The Ark is generally believed to be a 3,000-year-old wooden and gold plated box built by the Israelites to store the Ten Commandments as well as other sacred objects.
- It is thought to have been made using acacia wood and topped with two large, winged, golden angels.
- The box was carried using poles that slotted into loops on the Ark.
- The Ark was originally kept in the "Most Holy" compartment of the tabernacle, a transportable tent of worship that was made at the same time as the Ark.
- Later, the Ark was moved to the Most Holy in Solomon’s temple.
- Historians have never been able to find the infamous chest but they hope to unearth the tabernacle.
- The mystery surrounding the sacred box inspired the script of Hollywood blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
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