Unique First Temple Period Archaeological Discovery in Jerusalem
During excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the Tower of David Museum, a rare mold for casting a female figurine's face was discovered. This marks the first time such a production tool has been found in Jerusalem.
In archaeological excavations recently conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority in the Kishle area of the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem, a rare mold for casting the face of a female figurine, dating to the First Temple period, was discovered.
The excavation was carried out as part of the work to establish the new Schulich Wing for Archaeology, Art and Innovation at the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum. The Schulich Foundation, one of Canada's largest philanthropic organizations, supports education, health, art, and culture. The new wing will complete the museum's permanent exhibitions and present the site's unique heritage through a combination of archaeology, contemporary art, and innovation.
"The mold was found during the sifting of soil removed from fills and accumulations dating to the days of the First Temple," say Dr. Amit Re'em and Dr. Ayelet Zilberstein, the excavation directors on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. "The excavation in the Kishle, which has been ongoing for several years, continues to surprise time and again. This is one of the most important archaeological excavations conducted in Jerusalem in recent decades, and it presents the history of the city sequentially and clearly, starting from the days of the kings of Judah through to the British Mandate period."
After its discovery, the mold was transferred to Tamar Gonen, an expert in the conservation and restoration of ceramic finds at the Israel Antiquities Authority, who treated it meticulously. The conservation work revealed all the tiny details and facial features imprinted in the mold. In the next stage, the mold was transferred to Slava Kliendukhov, an expert in the conservation and restoration of finds, who cast a suitable material into it. The impressive result is a full reconstruction of the female face figurine, with clear facial features and a detailed curly hairstyle.
"Ceramic figurines from the First Temple period are known from almost every archaeological site excavated in Jerusalem and Judah," says Dr. Amit Re'em. "However, until now, no molds used for the production of these figurines had been discovered in Jerusalem, which raised the question of whether they were produced in the city itself or imported from elsewhere. The discovery of the production mold in the Kishle is, therefore, the first of its kind in Jerusalem, and provides direct evidence that at least some of the figurines were produced in the city itself."
Figurines of this type date to the end of the First Temple period, in the 8th–6th centuries BCE. They are made of clay, and their full height usually ranges between about 10 and 20 cm. In most cases, they are found broken in the neck area — a result of the production method in which the body and head were made by hand separately, while only the head was shaped in a mold.
