Fish Bones Unearthed in Jerusalem's City of David
(September 2005)
In an excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority
is conducting in the remains of a residential building in the City
of David in Jerusalem, an
interesting find recently came to light. Careful sifting of the soil
revealed a considerable quantity of animal bones. The bones of sheep,
goat and cattle are routine discoveries but this sifting produced a
substantial amount of fish bones. In Jerusalem, which is far from the
sea and large rivers, the consumption of fish was not an insignificant
matter.
The fish were identified by Professor Omri Lernau,
a researcher from the Institute of Archaeology of the University
of Haifa, who is a renowned expert on the subject. In a preliminary
examination, he identified the following species of fish: Nile perch,
which was imported from Egypt; mullet, sea bream and red drum, which
were brought from the Mediterranean Sea and catfish from freshwater
rivers.
Fish bones have already been found in buildings that
date to the end of the Iron Age in previous excavations in the City of David. Now it seems that this
fare, which in Jerusalem was most certainly considered a luxury, was
served up on the residents’ tables already in the latter part
of the 9th century and in the 8th century BCE.
This find is also associated with the name of one
of the city’s gates during this period, the “Fish Gate”,
which is mentioned several times in the Bible (Zephaniah 1:10; Nehemiah 3: 3; II Chron. 33;
14) and the local fish market probably existed nearby.
During the period of the Return to Zion (5th century
BCE) Nehemiah, the governor of Judah,
complained that the men of Tyre (Phoenician sailors) resided in Jerusalem
and that they are the ones who brought the fish to the city and sold
it to the residents of Jerusalem specifically on the Sabbath.
The excavations are being conducted in the City of
David on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, under the direction of
Eli Shukron of the Antiquities Authority and Professor Ronny Reich of
the University of Haifa. The excavation was supported with assistance
by the Elad Foundation and the Nature and Parks Authority.
Sources: Israel
Antiquities Authority |