City of David (archaeological site)
The City of David (Hebrew: עיר דוד, romanized: ʿĪr Davīd), known locally mostly as Wadi Hilweh (Arabic: وادي حلوة), is the name given to an archaeological site considered by most scholars to be the original settlement core of Jerusalem during the Bronze and Iron Ages. It is situated on southern part of the eastern ridge of ancient Jerusalem, west of the Kidron Valley and east of the Tyropoeon Valley, to the immediate south of the Temple Mount.
עיר דוד | |
Shown within Jerusalem | |
| Alternative name | Ir David (in Hebrew) |
|---|---|
| Location | Jerusalem |
| Type | settlement |
| History | |
| Periods | Bronze Age – Byzantine period |
| Cultures | Canaanite, Israelite, Second Temple Judaism, Byzantine |
| Events | Siege of Jebus, Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, Babylonian siege of Jerusalem |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | Charles Warren, Conard Schick, K.M. Kenyon, Yigal Shiloh, Ronny Reich, Eli Shukron, Doron Ben-Ami, Eilat Mazar and others |
| Condition | In ruins |
| Management | Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Ir David Foundation |
| Public access | yes |
| Website | https://www.cityofdavid.org.il/en |
The City of David is an important site of biblical archeology. Remains of a defensive network dating back to the Middle Bronze Age were found around the Gihon Spring; they continued to remain in use throughout subsequent periods. Two monumental Iron Age structures, known as the Large Stone Structure and the Stepped Stone Structure, were discovered at the site. Scholars debate if these may be identified with David or date to a later period. The site is also home to the Siloam Tunnel, which, according to a common hypothesis, was built by Hezekiah during the late 8th century BCE in preparation for an Assyrian siege. However, recent excavations at the site suggested an earlier origin in the late 9th or early 8th century BCE. Remains from the early Roman period include the Pool of Siloam and the Stepped Street, which stretched from the pool to the Temple Mount.
The excavated parts of the archeological site are today part of the Jerusalem Walls National Park. The site is managed by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and operated by the Ir David Foundation. It is located in Wadi Hilweh, an extension of the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, East Jerusalem, intertwined with an Israeli settlement.