Historical Discovery: The Treasure of the Legendary King Solomon Found by Archeologists
The treasure of King Solomon might have been discovered by archeologists in the Timna desert in Israel.
The region that includes Israel, Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt is rich in testimonies of ancient history. Archaeologists have now completed their research into the legendary wealth of Solomon, the king of the Kingdom of Israel, who owned a network of copper mines, the most important economic resource at the time, almost 3,000 years ago.
Experts say King Solomon's source of wealth lies deep in the Timna desert in Israel. Archaeologists began excavating the ancient site in 1964.
The mines discovered here were worked by slaves under King Solomon, and their mystery was explored during the Smithsonian Channel's, 'Secrets: King Solomon's Mines', according to Express.
Professor Erez Ben-Yosef, of Tel Aviv University, determined that production in that part of the desert was on the rise during King Solomon's reign about 3,000 years ago.
Copper was Extremely Precious in King Solomon's Time
Evidence was found everywhere at the archeological site of Timna, which shows the mass production of copper.
"All of the black material is slag, it's waste from the furnaces. This is very important evidence for the ancient copper production in Timna", said professor Erez Ben-Yosef.
While copper is a common commodity today, in those ancient times, it was one of the most sought after metals on Earth.
"Copper, at this particular time in history, was the most important economic resource. This was the most lucrative industry", the professor explained.
Copper has been at the center of a turning point in world history. For the first time, people extracted metals from stone and then turned them into tools and weapons.
"The moment was like a quantum leap, as people began to produce their own materials," said Dr. Mihammad Najjar of Friends of Archeology in Jordan.
