Archeological Find In Israel From 700 BC, King Hezekiah

Seal impression of King Hezekiah unearthed in Jerusalem
Ouria Tadmor

[From article]

Archaeologists digging just south of Jerusalem's Temple Mount have made a historic discovery, unearthing the first-ever seal impression of an Israelite or Judean king ever exposed in situ in a scientific archaeological excavation.
The discovery, made by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Institute of Archaeology under the direction of Dr. Eilat Mazar during Ophel excavations at the foot of the southern wall of the Temple Mount, is an impression of the royal seal of the Biblical King Hezekiah, who reigned between 727–698 BCE.
Measuring 9.7 X 8.6 mm, the oval impression was imprinted on a 3 mm thick soft bulla (piece of inscribed clay) measuring 13 X 12 mm. Around the impression is the depression left by the frame of the ring in which the seal was set.
The impression bears an insc‎ription in ancient Hebrew sc‎ript reading: "לחזקיהו [בן] אחז מלך יהדה"//"Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz king of Judah."
The sc‎ript is accompanied by a two-winged sun, with wings turned downward, flanked by two ankh symbols symbolizing life.
[. . .]
King Hezekiah is considered one of Judea's most righteous kings, and is described favorably in the Bible (II Kings, Isaiah, II Chronicles) as well as in the chronicles of the Assyrian kings - Sargon II and his son Sennacherib - who ruled during his reign.
Hezekiah is depicted as both a resourceful and daring king, who centralized power in his hands. Although he was an Assyrian vassal, he successfully maintained the independent standing of the Judean Kingdom and its capital Jerusalem, which he enhanced economically, religiously, and diplomatically.
The Bible relates of Hezekiah that "there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those before him" (II Kings 18:5).

[. . .]

While the changed Royal administrative symbol imprinted on the King's jars used the motif of a sun with wings extended to the sides, Hezekiah's personal changed symbol had a sun with sheltering wings turned down and a life-symbol at the end of each wing. This special addition of the symbol of life may support the assumption that the change on the King's personal seal was made after Hezekiah had recovered from the life-threatening illness of shehin (II Kings 20:1-8), when the life-symbol became especially significant for him (ca. 704 BCE).

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/204294#.Vl7tOL9Q7DA

Jerusalem: Incredible archaeological find brings Bible to life
Archaeologists unearth seal of King Hezekiah of Judea near Temple Mount - shedding new, exciting light on the Bibilical narrative.
By Ari Soffer
First Publish: 12/2/2015, 1:26 PM

https://youtu.be/SW8HM9RQYlI

Spectacular Archeological Find In Greece

A golden chain found inside an ancient tomb dated circa 1500 B.C in the southeastern city of Pylos, Greece.

Photo: (Left) ZumaWire, (right) Reuters

[From article]

University of Cincinnati archaeologists have discovered a treasure trove of more than 1,400 objects including gold chains, semi-precious stones and Bronze Age weapons — a find that’s being touted as one of the most “magnificent displays of prehistoric wealth” found in mainland Greece in the past 65 years, according to UC Magazine.
The summer findings ranged from solid-gold rings, a three-foot bronze sort covered in gold and more than 1,000 beads, in an unopened shaft grave of a wealthy 30-something-year-old Mycenaean warrior, dating back 3,500 years, according to Shari Stocker, a senior researcher at the university.
[. . .]
The discovery was made at the former site of Palace of Nestor, a large complex with connections to the Homeric legend that was destroyed in a fire around 1200 B.C.

http://nypost.com/2015/10/27/archaeologists-find-weathly-prehistoric-warriors-grave-full-of-riches/

Archaeologists find weathly prehistoric warrior’s grave full of riches
By Sophia Rosenbaum
New York Post
October 27, 2015 | 5:39pm

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http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-warriors-grave-greece-20151026-htmlstory.html

Here's what archaeologists found in a warrior's grave that's been untouched for 3,500 years
By Christine Mai-Duc
October 26, 2015 6:04 PM

Ancient City Of Gath Uncovered In Israel, Home Of Goliath

Prof. Aren Maeir, Director, Ackerman Family Bar-Ilan University Expedition to Gath A recent excavation in Israel has uncovered the historic fortifications and monumental gate of a Biblical-era city called Gath.

[From article]It was the Biblical city where the giant Goliath lived and one of the most powerful in the Philistine empire before it was destroyed in the ninth century BC.
Archaeologists have now uncovered the remains of an enormous gate and fortified wall which are giving clues to just how formidable the city of Gath may have been.
The monumental gate is the largest to ever be found in Israel and much like its most famous inhabitant – Goliath - it would have intimidated any who approached it.
The gate of Gath is referred to in the Hebrew Bible in the story of David's escape from King Saul to Achish, the King of Gath.
[. . .]
Professor Maeir and his colleagues say they have found evidence of the widespread destruction that took place in the city after the siege.
The site has been excavated for nearly 20 years now under the Ackerman Family Bar-Ilan University Expedition.
They have also found evidence of an earthquake which damaged the city in the 8th century BC and may be the disaster mentioned in the Book of Amos in the Hebrew Bible.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3185125/Giant-gates-Goliath-s-home-discovered-Monumental-fortification-belonging-Biblical-city-Philistine-Gath-unearthed.html

Giant gates to Goliath's home discovered: Monumental fortification belonging to the Biblical city of Philistine Gath unearthed
Archaeologists say the gates appear to be the largest ever found in Israel
They have also uncovered formidable fortified walls around the gate
The gates to Gath are mentioned in the Bible as David flees from King Saul
Gath is also reputed to have been the home of the Philistine warrior Goliath
By RICHARD GRAY FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 11:47 EST, 4 August 2015 | UPDATED: 03:57 EST, 5 August 2015


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The city of Gath was supposed to be the home of Goliath, who was killed by David, as illustrated in the drawing by Gustave Doré below. Archaeologists have uncovered fortifications either side of of the gate, shown above, which they say would have made it a formidable place to attack.


[From article]
A massive gate unearthed in Israel may have marked the entrance to a biblical city that, at its heyday, was the biggest metropolis in the region.
The town, called Gath, was occupied until the ninth century B.C. In biblical accounts, the Philistines — the mortal enemies of the Israelites — ruled the city. TheOld Testament also describes Gath as the home of Goliath, the giant warrior whom the Israelite King David felled with a slingshot.
The new findings reveal just how impressive the ancient Philistine city once was, said lead archaeologist of the current excavation, Aren Maeir, of Bar-Ilan University in Israel.
"We knew that Philistine Gath in the 10th to ninth century [B.C.] was a large city, perhaps the largest in the land at that time," Maeir told Live Science in an email. "These monumental fortifications stress how large and mighty this city was."
[. . .]
The gates were uncovered in Tell es-Safi, which was occupied almost continuously for nearly 5,000 years, until the Arab village at the site was left in 1948, Maeir said. Though archaeologists have been excavating at the site since 1899, it wasn't until the past few decades that they realized how massive the Iron Age remains really were.
Both the impressive settlement size and mentions in biblical accounts suggest to scholars that the site is the historic city of Gath, which was ruled by the Philistines, who lived next to the Jewish kingdoms of Judah and Israel. Most scholars think that Gath was besieged and laid to waste by Hazael, King of Aram Damascus, in 830 B.C., Maeir said.
[. . .]
The mighty fortifications would have formed a rather imposing boundary that prevented the Kingdom of Judah from expanding westward, he added.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/goliath-gates-entrance-to-famous-biblical-metropolis-uncovered/ar-BBlocam

Goliath Gates: Entrance to Famous Biblical Metropolis Uncovered
LiveScience
Tia Ghose
August 4, 2015

Archeologists Find Tomb From Era Of Alexander the Great

[From article]
Archaeologists unearthed bones from at least five people, including a woman aged over 60, a newborn baby, two men aged between 35 and 45 and another adult of indeterminate age.
The bones of one of the men bore cut marks which were likely to have come from a sword or a dagger, the Greek culture ministry said, adding a new twist to the occupants of the necropolis.
The fifth person, whose gender and age has not been identified so far, had been cremated.
Since the tomb was discovered at Amphipolis in northern Greece last year there has been intense speculation that it may have been built for Alexander the Great, or failing that one of his generals or his mother.
[. . .]
Alexander forged one of the largest empires the world had ever seen, a sprawling mosaic of territories that stretched from the Mediterranean to the Indus.
He is believed to have died in 323 BC, at the age of 32, after an all-night drinking bout in Babylonia, with his body then transported to Alexandria, a city that he founded, for burial.
After his death, his generals fought over control of the empire he had established.
During those wars, Alexander’s mother, widow, son and half-brother were all murdered - most of them near Amphipolis.
Inside the huge tomb – the largest ever to have been found in Greece - archaeologists have found two marble statues of sphinxes and a beautiful mosaic pavement which depicts the abduction of Persephone, the daughter of Zeus, by Hades, king of the underworld.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greece/11355324/Mystery-of-Greeces-Alexander-the-Great-era-tomb-deepens-with-body-discoveries.html

Mystery of Greece's Alexander the Great-era tomb deepens with body discoveries
Remains of five people found in vast, ancient tomb dating back to Alexander's era, around 300-325 BC
By Nick Squires
5:21PM GMT 19 Jan 2015

Archeologists Find Roman Gold Mine in Spain

File photo of marble head statue representing Roman emperor Trajan. 
Photo: REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico

[From article]
ScienceDaily reports that the gold mining complex in the Eria river valley includes sophisticated hydraulic works diverting river water to the mines. The Las Médulas region in León is considered to be the largest opencast mine in the Roman Empire but the University team discovered that mining extended many miles to the south east to the Eria valley.
"The volume of earth exploited is much greater than previously thought and the works performed are impressive, having achieved actual river captures, which makes this valley extremely important in the context of Roman mining in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula," said Javier Fernández Lozano, geologist at the University of Salamanca and co-author of a study on the mines published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.


http://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/11/24/aerial-laser-discovers-ancient-roman-gold-mines/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fmost-popular+%28Internal+-+Most+Popular+Content%29

Aerial laser discovers ancient Roman gold mines
Published November 24, 2014
FoxNews.com

Noah's Ark Found in Turkey

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2949640/Noahs-Ark-found-in-Turkey.html

'Noah's Ark' found in Turkey

Sun (UK)

By STAFF REPORTER

April 27, 2010