Arr! Me hearties! Be it known that wee bits o' olden roof tiles discovered in the City o' David be proof o' Jerusalem's storied past!
2023-12-07
Arr! Avast ye scurvy dogs! The scurvy roof tiles spied in the City o' David be provin' the Greeks be settlin' in Jerusalem! Arrr, but aside from that, there be naught but a smidgen o' evidence to back this here claim, ye landlubbers!
A recent discovery in the City of David National Park has provided rare material evidence of the presence of Greeks in ancient Jerusalem. Archaeological excavations led by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel-Aviv University uncovered 16 pieces of ceramic roof tiles. These tiles, found at the Givati Parking Lot Excavations, date back to the time period of Greek Seleucid King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Antiochus IV is widely known as the oppressor from the story of Hanukkah.The researchers were able to identify the roof tiles as ones from this time period using stratigraphy, a process that analyzes the contents of different layers. In addition, a petrography analysis was performed to determine the origin of the tiles, which were found to be made from local clay in an area west of Jerusalem.
The presence of these Greek roof tiles near the walls of an ancient fortress known as the "Acra" strengthens the argument that the fortress was located in that specific area. Ceramic roof tiles were invented in Greece and became popular for their durability and water resistance, but they were not commonly used in Israel until much later.
This discovery provides material proof for the presence of the Greeks during the same time period as described in the first book of Maccabees. The story of Hanukkah, including the defilement of the temple and the miracle of the oil, now has tangible evidence of the Greeks' presence in Jerusalem.
The findings of this discovery will be presented at the Israel Antiquities Authority Conference in 2023, where Dr. Filip Vukosavović, one of the researchers involved, will share photos and discuss the significance of the fragments found.