Solomon’s Mines, Timna Park Israel
And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and took it. He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store cities that he built in Hamath. He also built upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-heron, fortified cites with walls, gates, and bars, and Baalath, and all the star cities that Solomon had and all the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 2 Chronicles 8:3-6
The Bible speaks many times of the power and might of King David and King Solomon and of all the marvelous building, planning and storing. One facet of the might of the United Kingdom that is controverisal (one among very many) are “Solomon’s Mines” at Timna.
Egyptian presence there in the 13 - 12 centuries BC is well established. Over the past 15 or so years archeological evidence that the mines were in full operation in the 11 - 9 the centuries BC ( the time of the United Kingdom of Israel) has been found. Examples include: animal dung from domesticated animals such as donkey’s and dated to the 10th century, seeds and pollen from the area of Phoenicia in the 10th century (pointing to active trading and movement of goods), and a finding of purple cloth fiber that would seem to indicate that the population of this mining center was more elite that previously thought. There is some evidence that Edomites worked in these mines and likely traded with Israel. Did they perhaps even use mine production as tribute to King Solomon in the era when Solomon reigned over them? All of these findings make the beautiful Timna Park even more interesting in terms of biblical history.
Below are links to a couple of articles on the mines at Timna:
“Solomon’s Pillars” at Timna Park, Israel.
