An important archaeological discovery which seems to establish, among other things, that the famous, so-called “Solomonis Stabies,” at biblical Megiddo, were not built by King Solomon but were constructed about 100 years later by the Judean King Arab, was announced here today by Prof. Yigael Yadin, the Israeli archaeologist who was first Chief of Staff of the Israel Army.
Ancient Megiddo City, a Canaanite center dating back to about 3500 B. C. E., was one of King Solomon’s 12 administrative headquarters. About 30 years ago, archaeologists from the University of Chicago dug up at Megiddo a series of stables for horses and chariots, discovering the so-called “Solomon’s Stables.” Nearby, there were found the remains of a fortress dating back to Solomon’s time, with a wall which appeared to be from the same period. Under the wall, however, another fortress was discovered, also built in the architectural style of the period of King Solomon.
For the past three decades, scholars were puzzled as to why Solomon would have built the wall over a fortress. Now, according to Dr. Yadin, new excavations have established that the wall as well as the stables were not built in Solomon days, but a century later in the time of King Ahab. The new discovery, it was studies by experts here, will necessitate important re-evaluations of archaeological finds dating from the Solomonic era.
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