Evidence of a massive earthquake that occured about 2,800 years ago was discovered by archeologists hidden in the City of David in Jerusalem. During the excavation, scientists discovered a layer of destruction as well as shattered items that point to a biblical earthquake that was described as a major event in the Hebrew Bible.
According to Live Science, the archaeological team from the Israel Antiquities Authority came across a layer of destruction that dated to the a time in the City of David National Park.
The layer contained "a row of shattered vessels, including bowls, lamps, cooking utensils, storage and storage jars, which were smashed as [a] building's walls collapsed," the archeologists said in a statement from the IAA. The evidence showed no signs of fire or an invasion, which supports the theory that the destruction came about through the biblical earthquake thousands of years ago.
Archeologists said that other locations in the region had evidence of similar destruction dated about 2,800 years ago and that the signs of destruction from several sites across the southern Levant may be evidence of the biblical earthquake. In looking at the Bible, the books of Amos and Zechariah describe an earthquake that occurred during the time when the Kingdom of Judah recognized Jerusalem as its capital and was ruled by King Uzziah.
In fact, Zechariah 14:5 reads, "You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah." Lead excavators Dr. Joe Uziel and Ortal Chalaf described the 8th century BCE earthquake as "probably one of the strongest and most damaging earthquakes in ancient times," Christian Today reported.
This is not the first time evidence of a biblical earthquake thousands of years ago was unearthed.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, a team of archeologists led by Israel Finkelstein in Tel Aviv University were working on an excavation site in the ancient city of Megiddo, 80 miles north of Jerusalem when they found evidence of an earthquake from a similar time period. The scientists described them as "tilted walls and pillars, bent and warped walls, fractured building stones, dipping floors, liquefied sand, mudbrick collapse and burnt remains."
Other earthquake-related discoveries from the mid-eighth century were found at Hazor and Acre, north of Meggido and southwest of Jerusalem. Finkelstein commented on the new findings in the City of David, saying, "The early layer of the book of Amos includes materials which relate to the eighth century and hence it is possible that a devastating earthquake left a strong impression and was recorded."
Express reported that the findings from the most recent excavation will be presented in September at the Megalim Institute's annual archaeological conference, which will be held in the City of David in Jerusalem. "City of David Studies of Ancient Jerusalem" is described as the largest archaeological conference in Israel and is a platform for archeologists to present their latest findings in the area.
