Davidic Walls and Gate in Jerusalem
Masonry from the time of Solomon has survived at Jerusalem. Archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon said "At Samaria, Omri, like Solomon, employed Phoenician masons.The buildings of Period I at Samaria, dating to c.880 BCE (only 80 years after Solomon) are in typical Phoenician masonry.The foundation course has irregular bosses left, with one or more margins dressed. The courses consist of headers and stretchers on edge, with the stretchers keying into the core." Kenyon describes a similar construction at Jerusalem in her book, Digging up Jerusalem, (p. 115, 116), "Interesting supporting evidence was derived from Site S II, at a distance of 155 metres north-east of Site H and 105 metres south-west of the present south-east corner of the Temple platform. Here we located Warren's Byzantine wall, with spectacular evidence of his perilous trench beneath it by which he followed its line. Beneath, and several building phases earlier, was a wall on bedrock, somewhat to the west of the Byzantine wall, with, projecting east from it, and running under the Byzantine structure, a wall which probably belonged to a projecting tower. The date of these earliest walls, on the basis of the deposits against them, is, on the field estimate of the pottery, eighth century BCE or earlier. The interesting point is that these walls were constructed of re-used stones of the character identified as Phoenician at Samaria, with irregularly projecting bosses having unequal margins on one, two, or three sides. Solomon's use of Phoenician masons is undoubted and it is a reasonable inference that, close at hand, there was a wall of the time of Solomon, from which the builders of the eighth century BCE derived their stones. The combined evidence of the various sites therefore indicates that on the east side Solomon joined the town to which he succeeded to the platform of his new Temple by a wall along the eastern crest of the eastern ridge." Kathleen Kenyon correctly identified the stones as being "of the character identified as Phoenician at Samaria" but her suggestion that the walls were constructed of re-used stones should be questioned. The header and stretcher characteristic of construction is unique to Phoenician masons. The wall of the tower is certainly original. It was constructed by Phoenician masons under Solomon's rule.
Dr. Leen Ritmeyer commented on the smaller walls and gate connected to the tower. He says, "What is interesting, however, is the construction of the wall. Most of the stones have roughly hewn bosses and irregular margins. The ashlars in the stone courses are laid in a header-and-stretcher construction. The masonry looks, in fact, identical to that of the "Extra Tower" or "Projecting tower", as Warren referred to this construction. This area was excavated by the late Dame Kathleen Kenyon (Area SII) in the 1960's, who dated this tower, based on the archaeological finds, to the eighth century BCE (Digging up Jerusalem, p. 115). It appears therefore to be a strengthening of the fortifications in this area during that time. The masonry in the newly reported wall looks identical and therefore may date to the eighth century B.C. as well and may be a reconstruction of an earlier wall section." (http://www.ritmeyer.com/2010/02/22/first-temple-period-wall-found-in-jerusalem/). Notice that both Ritmeyer and Mazar suggest that these examples of header-and-stretcher construction are a reconstruction of earlier walls and the tower. Again, their suggestion that the walls were constructed of re-used stones is questionable. In a reply to my query in July of 2010 Dr. Ritmeyer himself admits to some doubt about this, "If these stones are indeed in secondary use, which I am not convinced of, it is possible that these are rejects or surplus masonry from Hezekiah's square Temple Mount construction." Ritmeyer goes on to say, "If you would examine the elevation, section and Isometric drawing of the Ophel Wall on Warren's Plans, Elevations, Sections, etc., (1884), Plate 40, then it is clear that this L-shaped wall is built against an earlier wall and one can still see today that two different First Temple period building phases are represented in this area. That is why Warren called this wall section the "Extra Tower" or "Corner Turret", ie. it is a tower that was later added to strengthen an earlier fortification or part of the city wall. If the L-shaped wall , as you insist, is Solomonic, does that make the wall against which it is built Canaanite?" (http://www.ritmeyer.com/2010/07/31/first-temple-period-wall-found-in-jerusalem-revisited/). My response to that question is that there is another possibility. Someone built a gate there, and,using Phoenician masons, connected a casemate wall to the gate. Later, someone, also using Phoenician masons, built a tower to strengthen the wall. The first phase of construction could have been completed under the leadership of King David (II Samuel 5:11and I Chronicles 14:1)! It should be noted here that the four-chambered gate associated with this wall resembles the four-chambered gates at Khirbet Qeiyafa which date to David's time.
David built an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite (II Samuel 24:18) so we know that there was construction activity to the north of the city of David in David's time. The Givati parking lot excavations, north of the city of David, revealed evidence of construction activity there before the city's expansion by King Hezekiah. The IAA report stated "... this phase was dated earlier than eighth century BCE, based on the abundance of ceramic finds." II Samuel 5:9 says,"So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about...". Also, I Chronicles 11:8 says, "And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about ... ." I Chronicles 22:2 says, "And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God." Jerusalem was to be the future site of the house of the Lord and David prepared for its construction the rest of his life (I Chronicles 22:5). David did not build the Temple but he may have constructed the wall leading up to the threshingfloor in preparation for the Temple.
See - http://www.ritmeyer.com/2010/07/31/first-temple-period-wall-found-in-jerusalem-revisited/
Dr. Leen Ritmeyer commented on the smaller walls and gate connected to the tower. He says, "What is interesting, however, is the construction of the wall. Most of the stones have roughly hewn bosses and irregular margins. The ashlars in the stone courses are laid in a header-and-stretcher construction. The masonry looks, in fact, identical to that of the "Extra Tower" or "Projecting tower", as Warren referred to this construction. This area was excavated by the late Dame Kathleen Kenyon (Area SII) in the 1960's, who dated this tower, based on the archaeological finds, to the eighth century BCE (Digging up Jerusalem, p. 115). It appears therefore to be a strengthening of the fortifications in this area during that time. The masonry in the newly reported wall looks identical and therefore may date to the eighth century B.C. as well and may be a reconstruction of an earlier wall section." (http://www.ritmeyer.com/2010/02/22/first-temple-period-wall-found-in-jerusalem/). Notice that both Ritmeyer and Mazar suggest that these examples of header-and-stretcher construction are a reconstruction of earlier walls and the tower. Again, their suggestion that the walls were constructed of re-used stones is questionable. In a reply to my query in July of 2010 Dr. Ritmeyer himself admits to some doubt about this, "If these stones are indeed in secondary use, which I am not convinced of, it is possible that these are rejects or surplus masonry from Hezekiah's square Temple Mount construction." Ritmeyer goes on to say, "If you would examine the elevation, section and Isometric drawing of the Ophel Wall on Warren's Plans, Elevations, Sections, etc., (1884), Plate 40, then it is clear that this L-shaped wall is built against an earlier wall and one can still see today that two different First Temple period building phases are represented in this area. That is why Warren called this wall section the "Extra Tower" or "Corner Turret", ie. it is a tower that was later added to strengthen an earlier fortification or part of the city wall. If the L-shaped wall , as you insist, is Solomonic, does that make the wall against which it is built Canaanite?" (http://www.ritmeyer.com/2010/07/31/first-temple-period-wall-found-in-jerusalem-revisited/). My response to that question is that there is another possibility. Someone built a gate there, and,using Phoenician masons, connected a casemate wall to the gate. Later, someone, also using Phoenician masons, built a tower to strengthen the wall. The first phase of construction could have been completed under the leadership of King David (II Samuel 5:11and I Chronicles 14:1)! It should be noted here that the four-chambered gate associated with this wall resembles the four-chambered gates at Khirbet Qeiyafa which date to David's time.
David built an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite (II Samuel 24:18) so we know that there was construction activity to the north of the city of David in David's time. The Givati parking lot excavations, north of the city of David, revealed evidence of construction activity there before the city's expansion by King Hezekiah. The IAA report stated "... this phase was dated earlier than eighth century BCE, based on the abundance of ceramic finds." II Samuel 5:9 says,"So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about...". Also, I Chronicles 11:8 says, "And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about ... ." I Chronicles 22:2 says, "And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God." Jerusalem was to be the future site of the house of the Lord and David prepared for its construction the rest of his life (I Chronicles 22:5). David did not build the Temple but he may have constructed the wall leading up to the threshingfloor in preparation for the Temple.
See - http://www.ritmeyer.com/2010/07/31/first-temple-period-wall-found-in-jerusalem-revisited/
Northern Jebusite Wall enclosing Davidic Wall
This chart from Macalister and Duncan, in 1923, clearly shows the heavy Jebusite wall surounding the later Davidic wall located within. It appears that David's Palace was located within the protection of that northern Jebusite wall. II Chronicles 5: 2 says that the ark was brought up out of the city of David and II Chronicles 8: 11 says, "And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come."
