WorldWide Drilling Resource

King Solomon’s Mine? Compiled by Caleb Whitaker, Associate Editor WorldWide Drilling Resource ® A team of archaeologists from Tel Aviv University recently made a dis- covery of Biblical proportions, which may reveal the true location of King Solomon’s legendary mine. The group explored a region of the Tinma Valley in Israel, which is often referred to as “Slaves’ Hill.” Archaeologist Nelson Glueck discovered the site in 1934, believing it was an Iron Age slave camp. Since finding unexpected evidence, Dr. Ben-Yosef and his colleagues have worked to debunk the original theory, and perhaps tie the location to Solomon. When the team began excavations at the mine in 2013, they found animal dung, which proved to be quite a remarkable find. Ben-Yosef said,” We thought maybe some nomads had camped there with their goats a few decades ago. The dates came back from the lab, and they confirmed we were talking about donkeys and other livestock from the 10th century B.C. It was hard to believe.” In addition to the animal dung, they found various walled structures, a fortified gate, and evidence of smelting activities, as well as remnants of the inhabitants’ food and clothing preserved by the desert conditions. These new discoveries pointed toward a more hierarchical, military society. Because of the old age of the dung and other findings, the mining camp where the animal droppings were found was dated to the time of King Solomon. With great wealth and wisdom, King Solomon took on several building projects, including a temple in Jerusalem which was lavishly decorated with gold and bronze. For him to collect such a vast amount of bronze and gold, he would have needed to use deep mines - like the ones where the dung was found. The site had indications of once being a large hub for copper production. This is important because copper was an extremely precious resource at the time of Solomon’s rule. The team discovered a stone gatehouse, with platforms, defensive fortifications, and secret passageways, which would have been used to protect and transport the copper mined on the site. During this point in history, Israel was involved in several military conflicts, most famously the Biblical account of King David (Solomon’s predecessor) fighting the Edomites. The fortified walls around the smelting camp at Slaves’ Hill indicate the site likely had some kind of military impor- tance. With a military victory, King David might have taken some form of tribute from the Edomites, which could have extend- ed into the reign of Solomon. Ben-Yosef concluded, “There is a serious possibility that Jerusalem got its wealth from taxing these mining operations." The discovery of copper’s role in this community adds credence to the theory of it being an important part of King Solomon’s empire and not simply slave quarters. While the Slaves’ Hill mining operation has not been explicitly linked to King Solomon - at least not yet - the 3000-year-old dung, deep mines, and other evidence does prove large- scale mining operations were possible in ancient Israel, and were in fact, a reality. 17 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® SEPTEMBER 2018 An archaeological dig at the site of the mine at Slaves’ Hill, courtesy of Erez Ben-Yosef / Tel Aviv University. Explosives Conference Set for January Adapted from a Press Release by the International Society of Explosives Engineers The International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) announced its 45th Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique will be held January 27-30, 2019. Returning to Nashville, Tennessee, the event will be held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center where there will be more exhibit booth opportunities than ever before. Exhibitors will be showcasing the latest technology, equip- ment, design, products, and services. The largest of it kind, as many as 1600 blasters, manufacturers, government officials, and suppliers from around the world are expected to attend this year’s conference. This annual event is an international forum designed for the hands-on explosives user featuring exhibits, technical ses- sions, panel discussions, and educational workshops. EXB MIN