Sun. Feb 9th, 2025

Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University discover possible ancient Israelite palace in Jordan

Tulul adh-Dhahab (Jordan): archaeological excavation of the Technical University of Dortmund led by Prof. Dr. Th. Pola on the highest plateau of the western hill, 2008 campaign. Photo: Jorre (Jochen Reinhard), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Tulul adh-Dhahab (Jordan): archaeological excavation of the Technical University of Dortmund led by Prof. Dr. Th. Pola on the highest plateau of the western hill, 2008 campaign. Photo: Jorre (Jochen Reinhard), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Tulul adh-Dhahab is an archaeological site in Jordan near the Zarqa River, the biblical Jabbok River, a tributary of the Jordan River. It has two tells which are commonly identified with the ancient Israelite cities of Mahanaim and Penuel, mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

A team of archaeologists from Tel Aviv University's (TAU) Institute of Archaeology has recently found evidence of a possible ancient Israelite palace at the site, in research published in the academic journal Tel Aviv.

Experts say that based on the data collected, this location corresponds to the biblical city of Mahanaim. The discovery includes ten carved stone blocks with reliefs depicting lions and banquet scenes, typical features of the monumental public architecture of the region. 

The structures date to the first half of the 8th century BC, during the period of prosperity of the northern kingdom of Israel, and feature iconographic details suggesting that they were part of a government complex, possibly a palace or an elaborate gate. 

The discovery not only provides new evidence of Israelite expansion in the region, but also enriches the understanding of how architecture reflected the dimension of power and culture in ancient times.

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  1. Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University discover possible ancient Israelite palace in Jordan. The correct form in English is: Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University discover possible ancient Israelite palace in Jordan.

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