15. Long thought to have been an invention of an imaginative author, the discovery of Solomon’s Walls in Jerusalem has renewed speculation concerning other biblical wonders
According to the First Book of Kings, Soloman, the son of David and King of Judah, at some time after marrying the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh ordered the construction of a great wall around the ancient city of Jerusalem. Written many centuries after the alleged event, and with no corroborating evidence of the defensive structure’s existence, the historical consensus was that it did not exist and, as is common throughout scripture, was merely allegorical. Demonstrating that the absence of evidence cannot be taken for certain as evidence of absence, modern archaeological excavations led by Eilat Mazar proved otherwise.
Measuring approximately 70 meters in length and 6 meters high, these ancient remains situate the wall’s location precisely encompass the best estimates of the city of Jerusalem during this time. Including a gatehouse and guard tower, the purpose of the structure as one for military defense is indisputable. Helping to date the remains of the ancient wall, remnants of pottery from the late-10th century BCE, the reign of Solomon, help corroborate the contextuality of the structure. Providing the first evidence of Soloman’s great building works, the discovery of the wall has renewed speculation regarding other attributed projects including the First Temple.