Traces of biblical earthquake found in Jerusalem
Archaeologists have found the first evidence of an earthquake described in the Bible. The Old Testament refers to the catastrophe that hit Jerusalem 2,800 years ago, according to The Daily Mail.
New research has shown that this event actually happened. During excavations in the national park of the city of David (the oldest inhabited area of Jerusalem), a layer of destruction was discovered: collapsed walls, broken ceramics, fragments of other objects.
At the same time, the researchers did not notice any signs of a fire or an attack by the conquerors. They concluded that the destruction must have been caused by the earthquake that struck Israel in the 8th century BC.
The Bible indicates that the earthquake occurred during the time of the Jewish king Uziyau (Uzziah). Mentions of him survived in texts written two centuries later – this shows how strong the collective memory of this cataclysm was.
Among the artifacts found by archaeologists were pottery fragments and small tables. The researchers noted that some of the ceramic shards were in such good condition that they could be put back together.
The artifacts lay at great depth. According to scholars, the inhabitants of Jerusalem began to build new dwellings on top of the old ruins.
Earlier it was reported that the remains of a biblical palace were found in Israel. It was destroyed during the Babylonian conquest.
